WMP's cultural competence training continues

Following three months of planning, the delivery of the training marks a considerable step forward in the force’s cultural understanding of the Jewish community and its contribution to the UK. This forms part of WMP’s ongoing plans to improve cultural competency across a diverse range of ethnicities, religions and protected characteristics.

Training has already taken place across the entire workforce in relation to Black history and the next chapter in this training will be on anti Muslim hate which we will conduct with equal concern. This latest cultural competency training on anti Jewish racism also builds on the extensive work the force has been undertaking to rebuild the trust and confidence of the public following the football fans ban last year.

Since January, the force has consulted extensively with a wide range of Jewish stakeholders and community members, listening intently to their feedback, before identifying individuals to produce and deliver this important training for our officers, staff and volunteers.

The training comprises Jewish history, understanding who Britain’s Jews are, what it means to be Jewish and what their relationship is with Israel.

Acting Chief Constable Scott Green said: “When appointed as the Acting Chief Constable in January this year, I immediately issued an apology on behalf of the force for the direct impact the force’s actions had on the loss of trust and confidence. Since this time, I have personally led an extensive range of work to rebuild our relationships with communities.

“As part of this, I began a series of meetings with local representatives to fully understand the impact our actions had on them. This engagement was integral to ensure we quickly and effectively learned from the events and more importantly started to plan how we could better support our workforce to be more culturally aware and understanding to be able to protect and serve communities.

“I am therefore pleased that through this engagement we were able to identify a number of organisations and individuals who have the right knowledge and understanding to deliver this new anti Jewish racism training to our officers, staff and volunteers. It is important to highlight that we are not undergoing training about antisemitism but about what we now understand to be anti Jewish racism.

“We do not underestimate the impact that last October’s attack at Heaton synagogue, the recent incidents in London as well as other international events have had on Jewish people. It is imperative that we strive to improve our understanding of the diverse communities we police and ensure we do everything possible to protect people from all forms of hate crime – all hate crimes are treated equally and all communities will receive the same depth of engagement.

“Wednesday’s session was the first time the training was delivered and this was to our Chief Officers and senior leaders within the organisation; it was insightful, perceptive and incredibly powerful. I know all of us found it invaluable.

“The training will now be reviewed before a final version is rolled out across the whole force over the next few months. This forms part of WMP’s overall series of cultural competency training and I have already commissioned the consultation and design for the force’s next chapter, which will be anti Muslim hate training.”

Delivering the initial training are: Carol Laser, who is a Senior Assessor at the College of Policing and also former Community Security Trust’s first Director of Security. She presented us with a hand-picked team with a unique combination of professional subject expertise, training skills and an understanding of policing. Marc Cave, founder of new charitable venture Fish & Chips and former CEO of the National Holocaust Museum, and Maiken Umbach, Professor of modern history at the University of Nottingham and chief academic advisor to the National Holocaust Museum.

Ms Laser said: “We are delighted to be working with West Midlands Police. I have been asked by some in the Jewish community if this is just a box-ticking exercise for the force. I would like to assure everyone that we would not be working on such a project if we did not wholeheartedly believe that West Midlands Police were not totally invested in learning from recent events and that we could not make a difference. We have been able to create a customised anti Jewish racism training product for a police audience.”

Mr Cave said: “From our initial work on this project, we see a genuine appetite to learn, repair relationships and improve social cohesion. What a pleasure to work with a police force determined to understand who British Jews actually are as people, in contrast to all the misinformation out there; and how the racial prejudice towards Jews and the world’s only Jewish country derive from 2,000 years of anti-Jewish propaganda across Europe and the Middle East.”

The Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands, Simon Foster said: “I welcome the launch of this essential anti-Jewish racism training. It is a vital step toward ensuring West Midlands Police is able to protect and serve our diverse communities with respect and sensitivity. Trust and confidence are the bedrock of policing.

“By listening to, engaging and working with our Jewish community and learning from the past, the force is demonstrating a commitment to tackling hate crime and eliminating unlawful discrimination and racism and that includes antisemitism. That is essential to build trust and confidence.

“As Police and Crime Commissioner, I will continue to hold the force to account to ensure this training translates into real world action, to improve the safety and security of our Jewish community and ensure that everyone is treated with the dignity and respect they are entitled to.”