MORNING SERIAL
“AND finally the country is hearing them. It would be great if the movement sparked by George Floyd’s killing had happened when we weren’t mid-pandemic. But if you know a way to conveniently reschedule a country-wide spontaneous mobilization for racial justice, I’m all ears.
“So I see the protests as a net public health good, given the sea change they have sparked in views on racial violence. And I see it as valid, given their importance, to treat them as an ‘essential’ public activity, just as we would something like voting.”
It is disingenuous to think that this does not apply to Wales too.
Black people are not being killed by the police at the same rate as across the Atlantic but the figures are still stark and representation within police forces is still far too low.
As an example, every summer I write the same story about BAME representation in Welsh police forces when the figures for the previous financial year are released in June. For the year 2019/20 the representation of BAME people in Welsh forces remains seriously low and is even worse for the numbers for women of colour in Wales’ four police forces and how many nonwhite occupy the highest positions.
It must be remembered that Wales is overwhelmingly white in terms of demographics and it would be sillly to demand that Dyfed Powys police, whose force area is just 2% BAME, to have 25% BAME officers.
However, comparisons to population numbers are not good.
■ In Dyfed Powys Police, 1.3% of its officers are BAME compared to 2% of the population. Of the 12 BAME officers only two are women (both at constable level). There are 10 BAME male officers of whom only one is above the rank of sergeant.
■ In Gwent Police, 2.2% of its workforce as BAME people compared to 3.9% of its population. Between March last year and March this year the force had a net loss of one BAME officer. The force has only one BAME female officer and 27 male. Only one is above the rank of constable.
> Lockdown Wales by Will Hayward £9.99 www.serenbooks.com/ productdisplay/lockdown-wales ISBN 9781781726013 CONTINUES TOMORROW