Only 3% of racism complaints against police are upheld
HIJAB-WEARING DETECTIVE SERGEANT MARINA WAKA TELLS HOW HER 15-YEAR CAREER WITH THE FORCE HAS PROVIDED HER WITH A BALANCE BETWEEN BRITISH AND ASIAN VALUES
DOZENS of people have accused Leicestershire police officers or staff of racism in the past five years – but hardly any of their accusations have been upheld.
New national data shows that 61 police officers and staff were investigated in Leicestershire between 2015 and 2020, but only two faced disciplinary action – 2.7 per cent.
The figures reveal shocking discrepancies in the way different police forces deal with allegations of racism by their staff.
Across England and Wales, 5,169 allegations of racially-motivated misconduct were made to 39 police forces between 2015 and 2020, but just 153 were upheld – less than three per cent. And huge gaps are evident between individual forces, with one upholding nearly half of complaints while 12 others did not uphold a single one.
The Met Police received the highest number, but dismissed 98.4 per cent of the 1,368 allegations made against its staff.
By comparison, Cheshire Police upheld 46.5 per cent of its 43 complaints, while Northamptonshire’s figure was 37.5 per cent and in the West Midlands it was 31.6 per cent.
Campaigners have called for allegations to be reinvestigated.
The families of Sean Rigg and Olaseni Lewis, young black men who died after being detained by police, said the data reveals officers can “act with impunity” with no meaningful oversight.
Dr Victor Olisa, a former Met Police borough commander who was one of the UK’s most senior black officers, said the figures should raise alarm bells.
Katrina Ffrench, chief executive of StopWatch, which campaigns to make police more accountable, said the figures highlight a toxic culture within the UK’s law enforcement.
Ms Ffrench, who said she had been made to undergo a strip search herself by police after being wrongly accused of having a weapon five years ago, said: “There’s no accountability. This leaves people feeling marginalised - if you can’t trust the police, who can you trust? ”
Campaigners say these cases are the tip of the iceberg, however.
Adam Almeida, from anti-racism think tank the Runnymede Trust, said that very few people who feel they have been discriminated against will lodge official complaints.
He said: “I don’t think it’s a surprise as there’s very low levels of confidence in police, especially among black and mixed race people.”
Chief Constable Craig Guildford, lead for complaints and misconduct at the National Police Chiefs Council, said: “Whilst complaints of racism are extremely low in number each one is still taken very seriously by our professional standards departments and the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”
A MUSLIM police officer whose illiterate Pakistani parents came to England unable to speak much English has risen to be a detective sergeant.
Marina Waka, who has been with Leicestershire Police for 15 years, has spoken about how her upbringing and her religion helped her get ahead and pursue her goals.
Mum-of-two Marina, 38, said she knew from a young age she wanted a career which would allow her to help others.
Her parents came to the UK in the 1960s, unable to speak much English and unable to read or write in any language.
But Marina pushed herself to achieve her goals.
After completing a degree in law and human resources, Marina’s passion to succeed and be a role model to other Muslim women led her to pursue a profession in policing and she recently passed her sergeant’s exam.
Now in a temporary role as a detective sergeant, she said she was grateful to be doing a job where she can make a difference every day.
She said: “Growing up it was important to me to have a balance of both British and Asian values and working as a Muslim police officer has definitely allowed me to do just that.
“Joining the police was never going to be easy, especially where I grew up. However with persistence, love and support from my parents, I joined.
“Women in my culture are often considered homemakers but my parents wanted me to educate and have a career.
“I’ve had the most amazing journey over the past 15 years and being a detective is demanding and fast-paced but it’s also a role that comes with huge rewards, excitement and job satisfaction.
“Our job is to investigate a crime and build a case strong enough to be heard by the criminal justice system to ensure the victims get the justice they deserve and that offenders are brought to justice.” Marina has spent the past four years working in the force’s Child Abuse Investigation Unit, which she said was her dream job.
She said: “Being a detective – there really isn’t any other job like it. “Working in the Child Abuse Investigation Unit allowed me to help give a child a voice and to listen to what they have to say – I can’t describe that feeling but I loved it.
“There isn’t any other job I’d rather be doing.”
Keen to embrace her religion after taking part in the Hajj pilgrimage to
Women in my culture are often considered homemakers but my parents wanted me to educate and have a career
In 2016, after completing a pilgrimage to Mecca, I decided I wanted to start wearing the Hijab
Mecca, Marina opted to wear the Hijab to work a few years ago and was pleased with her colleagues’ reactions.
She said: “Being a Muslim woman is a huge part of my identity.
“In 2016, after completing a pilgrimage to Mecca, I decided I wanted to start wearing the Hijab.
“I had never worn one before and was so worried about how my colleagues would react but despite my nervousness I felt proud of my decision as it is a symbol of who I am.
“As I walked into the police station wearing it for the first time I immediately realised there was nothing to be anxious about.
“Everyone was so positive, they welcomed my new look with open arms and were so interested to learn more about my Hajj experience and the significance of the Hijab.
“I am forever learning about my faith and I am always sharing my knowledge and experiences with them – I really do see those I work with as an extended part of my family.
“When I first started out in policing there weren’t many people from my background in the job. But if anything this just encouraged me even more to pave the way for other Asian women to consider policing as a career option. “Now through our Association of Muslim Police network we work hard to ensure those from the Muslim faith continue to feel supported in the profession and we are able to help assist anyone interested in joining us through the application and interview process.
“It is so important the police service is reflective of the communities we serve and those people continue to help make a real change and shape the future of policing.”