Yard boss: Give us 100 years on ethnic diversity

SCOTLAND Yard has admitted it will take another 100 years for its officers to reflect the ethnic diversity of London.

Clare Davies, the Metropolitan Police’s head of human resources, said: ‘For many the progress is too slow. If we continue, even with the great progress we’ve made, it would take over 100 years.’

Just 14 per cent of the force’s officers are from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. However, the latest census showed more than 40 per cent of Londoners identify as being BAME.

It came as Commissioner Cressida Dick yesterday insisted her force was no longer ‘institutionally racist’, adding this was not a ‘helpful or accurate description’. The term was used to describe the force in the Macpherson report, published 20 years ago in the aftermath of teenager Stephen Lawrence’s murder.

The 18-year-old was set upon by a gang, stabbed and left to die in Eltham, southeast London, in April 1993. The report found police blunders that helped his killers escape justice were due in part to prejudice caused by racism in the ranks.

A Met spokesman yesterday said Miss Davies’ statement was based on it not taking further steps to recruit more BAME officers, which it aimed to do.