POLICE
ROUTINE ARMING of police officers in West Yorkshire has been ruled out by the area’s police chief amid international speculation on police brutality and increased numbers of attacks on officers.
Mark Burns-Williamson, the police and crime commissioner for West Yorkshire Police, has spoken to the Courier about the safety of officers on the streets, crime during lockdown and the impact that events in America following the death of George Floyd, while being detained by police, has had on local people.
In the latest of a series of interviews with the man elected by the public eight years ago to hold the work of the police to account, we talk about racism – in and out of the police force – and how events across the world have affected our communities.
He said: “When something like that happens internationally [George
Floyd’s death in Minneapolis in May this year] was such a huge impact of course and gives us cause to look again at everything that we are doing.”
Recent figures issued by West Yorkshire Police reveal that up to May of this year there had been 5,845 race hate crimes for the whole of West Yorkshire.
For the 12 month period up to May 2019, the figures were slightly lower, with 6,034 for West Yorkshire.
However, these figures won’t take into account any effect that the death of George Floyd, which was on May 25, will have gone on to have on racially aggravated incidents and the city’s BME communities.
However a survey Mr Burns-Williamson is already conducting seems to suggest that those figures may rise as a result.
He added: “While I have been in this role I have set up a network with BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) organisations.
“I consult with lots of voluntary and third sector groups in these BAME communities across West Yorkshire.
“I have a survey out as well asking for feedback on how people have been impacted in COVID on community safety and crime. We are just working through that at the moment, but looking at the responses we have had so far – 50 per cent have said they have been impacted by events internationally and the George Floyd death.
“Clearly we have seen the protests in London and other parts of West Yorkshire.
“I am pleased to say they have gone really peacefully and I certainly support the Lord
Mayor in Leeds in the 8for8 campaign.”
However, despite such campaigns and debate, which has opened up over recent weeks, he says more needs to be done still.
“I am in touch with councillors and MPs to make sure we are doing everything we can to work with our communities because there is no doubt more needs to be done around BAME representation and how as a society we treat people fairly and equally.”
One of the key ways to do that is neighbourhood policing that establishes and maintains relationships between communities –but the lack of funding that is likely to be a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic is a concern.
The neighbourhood policing approach is favoured by Mr Burns-Williamson who, as part of the police and crime plan which he set out at the beginning of his current term of office as PCC, put protecting police on the frontline and protecting community support officers among his list of top priorities.
He said: “I am a great believer in neighbourhood police and we have managed to retain {that} despite the years of austerity and cuts.
“It is difficult in terms of the funding situation, and dealing with the COVID situation means we have incurred
Iamagreat believe in neighbourhood police and we have managed to retain {that} despite years of austerity and cuts.