Opinion: Police Impartiality Amidst Discrimination Against White Men

[Social Media]

 

In a profession that demands unwavering impartiality, the police force is increasingly under scrutiny for practices that appear to contradict this principle. Police officers and detectives regularly demonstrate courage in the face of violence and danger, yet the leadership within some police forces seems to be swayed by divisive identity politics, casting doubt on their claims of impartiality. This contradiction raises important questions about the integrity of policing and whether these forces are truly as neutral as they claim to be.

 

While the complexities of police operations, such as handling protests and responding to crime, are beyond the scope of this discussion, the administrative track record of some police forces over the past five years reveals troubling trends. These trends suggest that certain police forces are straying from their core mission of impartial law enforcement.

 

For example, Cheshire Constabulary was found guilty of discrimination not just on the basis of race, but also sexual orientation and gender. The force rejected a prospective officer simply because he was a white heterosexual man. This case highlights the troubling possibility that identity politics may be influencing recruitment decisions within the police force.

 

Similarly, the British Transport Police has been criticized for funding a scholarship that covers the tuition and living costs of a three-year law degree at King's College London. The scholarship, worth £75,000, is exclusively available to individuals of black heritage, with the expectation that they will use their education to "fight injustice." While the intent behind the scholarship may be noble, the exclusionary nature of the criteria raises concerns about fairness and impartiality within the force.

 

In another case, a Metropolitan Police Chief Superintendent in 2022 expressed a desire to establish a charity and employ fundraisers to channel millions of pounds from businesses into minority-owned businesses. This initiative, while perhaps well-intentioned, further underscores the extent to which identity politics is shaping the priorities of some police leaders.

 

Even more recently, Thames Valley Police, often regarded as a progressive force, was found guilty of racial discrimination when it promoted an Asian Sergeant to Detective Inspector without allowing a group of white Inspectors the opportunity to apply. Such instances suggest that these are not isolated incidents but part of a broader trend within policing.

Experienced police officers often express frustration at these developments, noting that such occurrences are far from rare. The question arises: are these incidents merely coincidental, or do they reflect a deeper issue within policing—a problematic embrace of divisive identity politics?

 

The decision by the National Police Chiefs' Council and the College of Policing to create a "Police Race Action Plan" in response to the death of George Floyd is another example of this trend. Floyd's death occurred thousands of miles away in a different country, with no direct involvement or connection to British policing. Yet, some of the most progressive and activist officers in the UK seized the moment, viewing it as an "opportunity" to push their agendas.

 

The national director of the Police Race Action Plan, a Commander in the Metropolitan Police, recently struggled to articulate just how significant an "opportunity" Floyd's death and the Black Lives Matter movement presented for policing. This statement is indicative of a broader mindset within some police leadership, where identity politics and social activism are increasingly prioritized over the core responsibilities of law enforcement.

 

Moreover, the creation of separate race action plans by every police force in the country has led to a situation where forces seem to be competing with each other in their commitment to identity politics. This focus diverts valuable time and resources away from the primary duties of fighting crime and protecting the public.

 

It is important to acknowledge that this critique is not a blanket denial of racial or other disparities within policing, the criminal justice system, or society at large. These disparities were thoroughly examined by Labour's David Lammy in 2017. Commissioned by Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron, with the support of Theresa May, Lammy's report demanded that if criminal justice agencies could not "provide an evidence-based explanation for apparent disparities between ethnic groups, then reforms should be introduced."

 

This "explain or reform" approach might seem reasonable at first glance. However, it often leads to a preference for reform over explanation, as reform is the path of least resistance for policymakers and senior leaders. In today's public services, the prevailing attitude seems to be that no one gets called racist for promising reform, even if the underlying issues remain unexamined.

 

The swift and often reflexive dismissal of concerns about "woke" and "two-tier" policing by many police chiefs further suggests that asking them to critically assess, let alone reject, the influence of identity politics within their forces is akin to asking them to act against their own interests. If courageous police chiefs do not soon break ranks and address these issues, it will become increasingly clear that the problems within police leadership are even more severe than previously feared.

 

Addressing these deep-rooted issues may require a complete overhaul of the leadership within the police force. Only by rebuilding the commanding heights of policing can we hope to restore the impartiality and integrity that the public rightly expects from those sworn to protect and serve. The task is daunting, but it is essential if we are to prevent the further erosion of trust in one of the most vital institutions in our society.

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph  2024-08-21

 

 

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[Smokey and the Bandit]

"

•  

Posted 3 hours ago

 

"In a profession that demands unwavering impartiality," So the UK cops have failed from the get go!

[spidermike007]

Well, I still enjoy being a straight white man, even though it seems to be out of fashion now. 

[expat_4_life]

What a bloody mess, but not unique to the UK.  This is western led liberal democracy and identity politics in a nut shell.  No easy way out.

Will get worse before it has any chance of getting better, censorship, crackdowns, etc - unfortunately.

Edited August 21 by expat_4_life

[JonnyF]

2 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Well, I still enjoy being a straight white man, even though it seems to be out of fashion now. 

 

Don't worry, middle class liberals are fine.

 

It's working class, conservative, partiotic white men that are public enemy number 1. Which is ironic considering the people Labour used to represent. 

[Chomper Higgot]

It was so much better when the sus’ laws were in place and the cops spent their shifts harassing black people for looking suspicious.

 

But don’t despair, there’s hope yet:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/apr/21/thousands-of-children-strip-searched-by-police-in-england-and-wales-last-year

 

 

Edited August 21 by Chomper Higgot

[Chomper Higgot]

4 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Don't worry, middle class liberals are fine.

 

It's working class, conservative, partiotic white men that are public enemy number 1. Which is ironic considering the people Labour used to represent. 

Do you have any examples of these patriotic white men that are public enemy No 1?

 

Or are they criminals that are also white male and conservative?

[BKKBike09]

23 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It was so much better when the sus’ laws were in place and the cops spent their shifts harassing black people for looking suspicious.

 

But don’t despair, there’s hope yet:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/apr/21/thousands-of-children-strip-searched-by-police-in-england-and-wales-last-year

 

 

Yes Chomps, because of course all young people under the age of 18 are little angels ...

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/youth-justice-statistics-2022-to-2023/youth-justice-statistics-2022-to-2023-accessible-version

 

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, BKKBike09 said:

 

Yes Chomps, because of course all young people under the age of 18 are little angels ...

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/youth-justice-statistics-2022-to-2023/youth-justice-statistics-2022-to-2023-accessible-version

 

Has that got any relevance to the discussion?

 

 

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

 

Don't worry, middle class liberals are fine.

 

It's working class, conservative, partiotic white men that are public enemy number 1. Which is ironic considering the people Labour used to represent. 

Do not even attempt to represent your version of reality, by calling liberals unpatriotic. The secondary aspect of this is that most conservatives do not even differentiate between a moderate democrat and a liberal anymore. At this point, many are so indoctrinated, now we are all socialist or communist, not to mention the fact that we all drink the blood of babies in the basement of pizza parlors and we don't like kids!

[JonnyF]

2 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

At this point, many are so indoctrinated, now we are all socialist or communist, not to mention the fact that we all drink the blood of babies in the basement of pizza parlors and we don't like kids!

 

Liberals eat pizza?? 

[spidermike007]

2 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Liberals eat pizza?? 

Some doing, some don't, but according to some in your party most of them drink the blood of babies, and for some reason, that only happens in the basements of pizza parlors. Which is really weird because I don't even know of many pizza parlors that have basements. 

[BusyB]

17 hours ago, Social Media said:

The force rejected a prospective officer simply because he was a white heterosexual man.

 

That sounds like utter <deleted>.

 

Link please. (To a reliable, first hand source.)

[BusyB]

10 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Some doing, some don't, but according to some in your party most of them drink the blood of babies, and for some reason, that only happens in the basements of pizza parlors. Which is really weird because I don't even know of many pizza parlors that have basements. 

 

That's because they're kept secret of course ... can't have every tomdicknharry turnin' up, or they'd run out of blood.

[BusyB]

10 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Some doing, some don't, but according to some in your party most of them drink the blood of babies, and for some reason, that only happens in the basements of pizza parlors. Which is really weird because I don't even know of many pizza parlors that have basements. 

 

I thought Hillary got special deliveries to the White House back in the day.

 

[stevenl]

2 hours ago, BusyB said:

 

That sounds like utter <deleted>.

 

Link please. (To a reliable, first hand source.)

No chance of that happening.

 

The article is badly substantiated anyway. It starts with 'people feel there is a 2-tier justice', comes with 3 examples and suddenly the premises has been substantiated.

From the title it was already clear to be an opinion piece from the telegraph.

[BusyB]

4 hours ago, stevenl said:

No chance of that happening.

 

The article is badly substantiated anyway. It starts with 'people feel there is a 2-tier justice', comes with 3 examples and suddenly the premises has been substantiated.

From the title it was already clear to be an opinion piece from the telegraph.

 

Agreed. I just plucked what struck me as the most egregiously glaring example of utterly scrotal nonsense designed to appeal to the worst kind of knuckle draggers. 

[MicroB]

7 hours ago, BusyB said:

 

That sounds like utter <deleted>.

 

Link please. (To a reliable, first hand source.)

 

I think it refers to a link embedded in the original version of this article

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/08/19/the-police-cant-be-impartial-while-discriminating-white/

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/02/22/police-force-guilty-discrimination-rejecting-white-heterosexual/

 

The full judgement is here, of one doesn't want to read an article containing spin:

 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c66abfd40f0b61a1e93a27a/Mr_M_Furlong_v_The_Chief_Constable_of_Cheshire_Police_2405577.18_judgment_and_reasons.pdf

 

If you can't get past the DT paywall (there is a way involving a single key on the keyboard), it refers to a case brought by Matthew Furlong against Cheshire Police at an Industrial Tribunal, where it was found that he was a victim of positive discrimination. He didn't get the job because he was white heterosexual, he didn't get it because the other candidates weren't (his lawyer tried to spin the white heterosexual bit in a comment to journalists).

 

Cheshire Police had been taken to task in 2015 for being one of 4 police forces without a single black officer. Cheshire has an ethnic minority population of 6%. Unlike other police  services, Cheshire Police made a disproportionate response to the criticism, by instituting a yes-no selection system with a low threshold, rather than a points system. Basically, the application system involved a series of interviews. Furlong performed well in the interviews by all accounts, and was well prepared. However, Cheshire police merely put in pass/fail for each interview, not a grading, leaving positive discrimination as being the only mechanism of recruit selection.

 

The original article paints a picture of events over the past 5 years, though actually Cheshire Police's issue dates to 2017, with the case being settled in 2019. Notably, Mr Furlong actually withdrew the complaint; his father was a Chief Inspector. He went on to join Cheshire Police.

Now why did Cheshire Police come up with the original policy. About a week before the report on Cheshires lack of BAME officer came out, then Home Secretary Theresa May, in a speech to the National Black Police Association Conference, said:

 

Quote

Increasing diversity in our police forces is not an optional extra.....We must ensure that the public have trust and confidence in the police, and that the police reflect the communities they serve.......Incredibly, four forces do not employ any black or black British police officers at all, and female officers make up 28 per cent of all police officers but 51 per cent of the total population.......This is simply not good enough.....(it is) simply not true that knife crime is rising because the police are no longer stopping and searching those carrying knives......When stop and search is misapplied, and when people are stopped and searched for no good reason, it is unfair, it wastes valuable police time, and it damages the relationship between communities and the police.......I know there are those who say that our reforms have gone too far, that the pendulum has swung too much the other way, and that reforms to stop and search are linked to knife crime in our capital and elsewhere.......But to them I say this: stop and search reform has worked, it must continue, and – if you look at the evidence – it shows no link whatsoever with violent crime......Properly targeted, stop and search will actually help reduce knife crime. It will save police time to focus on prevention and work with gangs, and it will improve the relationship between the police and the public on which all of your work rests.....We must not jettison all that good work for the sake of a knee-jerk reaction on the back of a false link.

 

 

At the time, she was in a well publicised spat with Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, who at the time wanted to increase stop and search, following an increase in knife crime. The Home Office rejected this saying there was no correlation in London boroughs in the level of stop and search and knife crime. The Office of National Statistics thought that the notional rise in knife crime was actually due to the police bothering to report crime, rather than an actual rise.

 

The Chief Constable of Cheshire at the time the new selection was put in place was Simon Byrne, who went on to head the PSNI. Ironically, that is a police force where the demographics are very sensitive.

 

It seems to me that someone in Cheshire Police interpreted the Home Secretary's critique as being "we better recruit 120 ethnic minority officers ASAP", without really understanding the issue.

[JonnyF]

8 hours ago, stevenl said:

No chance of that happening.

 

The article is badly substantiated anyway. It starts with 'people feel there is a 2-tier justice', comes with 3 examples and suddenly the premises has been substantiated.

From the title it was already clear to be an opinion piece from the telegraph.

 

Of course it happens. The clue is in the name. Positive discrimination. They are discriminating against white applicants because they want more BAME officers. There is nothing positive about it, it's just racism against white people instead of black people. Equally abhorrent. 

 

The politics of revenge. The belief that the answer to racism is more racism. The dumbest idea ever. 

 

The net result is a lower standard of officers since they are no longer choosing the best applicant irrespective of race, but excluding certain applicants because of their race. You end up with members of the Met Police singing "from the river to the sea" at Pro Palestine marches. If it wasn't so ridiculous it would be amusing.  

[stevenl]

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

Of course it happens. The clue is in the name. Positive discrimination. They are discriminating against white applicants because they want more BAME officers. There is nothing positive about it, it's just racism against white people instead of black people. Equally abhorrent. 

 

The politics of revenge. The belief that the answer to racism is more racism. The dumbest idea ever. 

 

The net result is a lower standard of officers since they are no longer choosing the best applicant irrespective of race, but excluding certain applicants because of their race. You end up with members of the Met Police singing "from the river to the sea" at Pro Palestine marches. If it wasn't so ridiculous it would be amusing.  

Glad for you you got in a rant. No idea why you quoted me since your rant wasn't a reply to my remark.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 8/21/2024 at 1:16 PM, expat_4_life said:

What a bloody mess, but not unique to the UK.  This is western led liberal democracy and identity politics in a nut shell.  No easy way out.

Will get worse before it has any chance of getting better, censorship, crackdowns, etc - unfortunately.

IMO it's not going to get better, ever. The west will fall to the barbarians ( see the fall of Rome ) before the people promoting the fundamental transformation of western society give up.

[expat_4_life]

20 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO it's not going to get better, ever. The west will fall to the barbarians ( see the fall of Rome ) before the people promoting the fundamental transformation of western society give up.

What can I say, you are likely correct - I just try and remain optimistic.

It will get worse and may lead to exactly what you are suggesting.  I just find "dooming"  as a form of demoralization which leads to surrender ... so I persist.

 

Edited August 22 by expat_4_life

[MarkBR]

On 8/21/2024 at 3:34 AM, Social Media said:

 

In a profession that demands unwavering impartiality, the police force is increasingly under scrutiny for practices that appear to contradict this principle. Police officers and detectives regularly demonstrate courage in the face of violence and danger, yet the leadership within some police forces seems to be swayed by divisive identity politics, casting doubt on their claims of impartiality. This contradiction raises important questions about the integrity of policing and whether these forces are truly as neutral as they claim to be.

 

While the complexities of police operations, such as handling protests and responding to crime, are beyond the scope of this discussion, the administrative track record of some police forces over the past five years reveals troubling trends. These trends suggest that certain police forces are straying from their core mission of impartial law enforcement.

 

For example, Cheshire Constabulary was found guilty of discrimination not just on the basis of race, but also sexual orientation and gender. The force rejected a prospective officer simply because he was a white heterosexual man. This case highlights the troubling possibility that identity politics may be influencing recruitment decisions within the police force.

 

Similarly, the British Transport Police has been criticized for funding a scholarship that covers the tuition and living costs of a three-year law degree at King's College London. The scholarship, worth £75,000, is exclusively available to individuals of black heritage, with the expectation that they will use their education to "fight injustice." While the intent behind the scholarship may be noble, the exclusionary nature of the criteria raises concerns about fairness and impartiality within the force.

 

In another case, a Metropolitan Police Chief Superintendent in 2022 expressed a desire to establish a charity and employ fundraisers to channel millions of pounds from businesses into minority-owned businesses. This initiative, while perhaps well-intentioned, further underscores the extent to which identity politics is shaping the priorities of some police leaders.

 

Even more recently, Thames Valley Police, often regarded as a progressive force, was found guilty of racial discrimination when it promoted an Asian Sergeant to Detective Inspector without allowing a group of white Inspectors the opportunity to apply. Such instances suggest that these are not isolated incidents but part of a broader trend within policing.

Experienced police officers often express frustration at these developments, noting that such occurrences are far from rare. The question arises: are these incidents merely coincidental, or do they reflect a deeper issue within policing—a problematic embrace of divisive identity politics?

 

The decision by the National Police Chiefs' Council and the College of Policing to create a "Police Race Action Plan" in response to the death of George Floyd is another example of this trend. Floyd's death occurred thousands of miles away in a different country, with no direct involvement or connection to British policing. Yet, some of the most progressive and activist officers in the UK seized the moment, viewing it as an "opportunity" to push their agendas.

 

The national director of the Police Race Action Plan, a Commander in the Metropolitan Police, recently struggled to articulate just how significant an "opportunity" Floyd's death and the Black Lives Matter movement presented for policing. This statement is indicative of a broader mindset within some police leadership, where identity politics and social activism are increasingly prioritized over the core responsibilities of law enforcement.

 

Moreover, the creation of separate race action plans by every police force in the country has led to a situation where forces seem to be competing with each other in their commitment to identity politics. This focus diverts valuable time and resources away from the primary duties of fighting crime and protecting the public.

 

It is important to acknowledge that this critique is not a blanket denial of racial or other disparities within policing, the criminal justice system, or society at large. These disparities were thoroughly examined by Labour's David Lammy in 2017. Commissioned by Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron, with the support of Theresa May, Lammy's report demanded that if criminal justice agencies could not "provide an evidence-based explanation for apparent disparities between ethnic groups, then reforms should be introduced."

 

This "explain or reform" approach might seem reasonable at first glance. However, it often leads to a preference for reform over explanation, as reform is the path of least resistance for policymakers and senior leaders. In today's public services, the prevailing attitude seems to be that no one gets called racist for promising reform, even if the underlying issues remain unexamined.

 

The swift and often reflexive dismissal of concerns about "woke" and "two-tier" policing by many police chiefs further suggests that asking them to critically assess, let alone reject, the influence of identity politics within their forces is akin to asking them to act against their own interests. If courageous police chiefs do not soon break ranks and address these issues, it will become increasingly clear that the problems within police leadership are even more severe than previously feared.

 

Addressing these deep-rooted issues may require a complete overhaul of the leadership within the police force. Only by rebuilding the commanding heights of policing can we hope to restore the impartiality and integrity that the public rightly expects from those sworn to protect and serve. The task is daunting, but it is essential if we are to prevent the further erosion of trust in one of the most vital institutions in our society.

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph  2024-08-21

 

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

It is a Torygraph article, why am I not surprised.  Went down hill fast after Peter Oborne left.

Edited August 22 by MarkBR
a typo

[BusyB]

9 hours ago, MicroB said:

 

I think it refers to a link embedded in the original version of this article

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/08/19/the-police-cant-be-impartial-while-discriminating-white/

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/02/22/police-force-guilty-discrimination-rejecting-white-heterosexual/

 

The full judgement is here, of one doesn't want to read an article containing spin:

 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c66abfd40f0b61a1e93a27a/Mr_M_Furlong_v_The_Chief_Constable_of_Cheshire_Police_2405577.18_judgment_and_reasons.pdf

 

If you can't get past the DT paywall (there is a way involving a single key on the keyboard), it refers to a case brought by Matthew Furlong against Cheshire Police at an Industrial Tribunal, where it was found that he was a victim of positive discrimination. He didn't get the job because he was white heterosexual, he didn't get it because the other candidates weren't (his lawyer tried to spin the white heterosexual bit in a comment to journalists).

 

Cheshire Police had been taken to task in 2015 for being one of 4 police forces without a single black officer. Cheshire has an ethnic minority population of 6%. Unlike other police  services, Cheshire Police made a disproportionate response to the criticism, by instituting a yes-no selection system with a low threshold, rather than a points system. Basically, the application system involved a series of interviews. Furlong performed well in the interviews by all accounts, and was well prepared. However, Cheshire police merely put in pass/fail for each interview, not a grading, leaving positive discrimination as being the only mechanism of recruit selection.

 

The original article paints a picture of events over the past 5 years, though actually Cheshire Police's issue dates to 2017, with the case being settled in 2019. Notably, Mr Furlong actually withdrew the complaint; his father was a Chief Inspector. He went on to join Cheshire Police.

Now why did Cheshire Police come up with the original policy. About a week before the report on Cheshires lack of BAME officer came out, then Home Secretary Theresa May, in a speech to the National Black Police Association Conference, said:

 

 

At the time, she was in a well publicised spat with Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, who at the time wanted to increase stop and search, following an increase in knife crime. The Home Office rejected this saying there was no correlation in London boroughs in the level of stop and search and knife crime. The Office of National Statistics thought that the notional rise in knife crime was actually due to the police bothering to report crime, rather than an actual rise.

 

The Chief Constable of Cheshire at the time the new selection was put in place was Simon Byrne, who went on to head the PSNI. Ironically, that is a police force where the demographics are very sensitive.

 

It seems to me that someone in Cheshire Police interpreted the Home Secretary's critique as being "we better recruit 120 ethnic minority officers ASAP", without really understanding the issue.

 

Thanks for that. 

So in the final analysis it was a botched policy response (AKA 'English Management' in forriner management circles) that was corrected in the end. Not a standing procedure as portrayed here. Pretty much what I suspected.

 

So he did get hired albeit with some hassle.

 

A decent publication would have said "Initially rejected for being white but later hired". Guess that didn't fit the rabble rousing narrative though.

[MicroB]

15 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

Of course it happens. The clue is in the name. Positive discrimination. They are discriminating against white applicants because they want more BAME officers. There is nothing positive about it, it's just racism against white people instead of black people. Equally abhorrent. 

 

 

 

Well were. You are getting wound up about a job interview from 7 years ago, that went to an industrial tribunal, which resulted in the faulty policy being ditched.

 

Its a police service. I was in Northern Ireland when the RUC was about. It didn't really represent the community that it policed, because there were hardly any Catholic officers serving. A lot of good has been made in Northern Ireland policing by getting Catholics to join up; it was complex why they weren't. Intimidation from parts of their own community for a start. But also, within the RUC, loyalist infiltrators. Still not perfect, but far better, as the PSNI.

[thaibeachlovers]

18 hours ago, expat_4_life said:

What can I say, you are likely correct - I just try and remain optimistic.

It will get worse and may lead to exactly what you are suggesting.  I just find "dooming"  as a form of demoralization which leads to surrender ... so I persist.

 

I wish I could be optimistic, but I'm too prone to seeing things as they are, and not as I wish they were.

 

Finding out that people actually believe that there are more than 2 genders and more taxes will end climate change tends to be very demoralising.

 

Having learned about the end of civilisations, and in particular the end of the western Roman empire ( it survived in the east till the crusades ), everything now is just repeating what happened back then.