Meng Foon apologises after police comments
New Zealand’s Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon has apologised to police for his comments that “police are racist”, saying they were “incorrect”.
Although he still maintains there is systemic racism within New Zealand’s police force, he is walking back the blanket statement he made earlier this week.
“I do admit that my comments regarding the police being racist was incorrect,” he told the Herald.
“I shouldn’t stereotype,” he said before saying he was directing his apology towards the police. But he said New Zealand shouldn’t be burying its head in the sand when it comes to racism. And of the police: “They do have systemic racism in the place — that has been admitted by the Commissioner”.
Commissioner Andy Coster has admitted this in the past and has said police are reviewing to fix the issue. But he was one of many who were critical of Foon’s statement.
“Labelling all 14,000 police staff racist isn’t accurate, [or] helpful for addressing inequity where it exists,” he told Newstalk ZB.
Police Association president Chris
Cahill called on Foon to retract his comments.
“This . . . is nothing less than a body blow to the many hardworking police officers, including Ma¯ori, Pasifika, Asian, Indian, Pakistani and those from other diverse backgrounds who . . . have now been lumped in one ‘racist’ basket.”
I do admit that my comments regarding the police being racist was incorrect. Meng Foon
Foon’s apology came after he was challenged by National leader Judith Collins on his comments. “I think he has just taken back race relations another 10 years,” she told ZB.
Despite his apology, Foon was still critical of TV’S Police Ten 7 programme — saying it was racial stereotyping. — NZ Herald