City Commissioner vows to create a more equitable, diverse and inclusive police force
City of London Police’s most senior officer has apologised to members of staff and the public who may have been treated unfairly by the force in the past, and pledged drastic change to achieve equity, diversity, and inclusion.
T/Commissioner Pete O’Doherty set out plans for the force to become one of the most inclusive and trusted police services in the UK at an event held in the City of London on Tuesday (July 16).
By 2027, City of London Police aims to demonstrate increased levels of trust and confidence among the public through a proactive commitment to action and welcoming increased and robust challenge from its communities and Independent Advisory and Scrutiny Groups.
Better use of data and internal cultural review audits are also being introduced to further understand the conduct and the culture of teams.
There will be more focus on staff wellbeing and the force is to invest in the retention and progression of staff from a diversity of backgrounds to improve low levels of representation in senior roles.
Mr O’Doherty said: “I am truly sorry to all of those who may in the past have been let down through service failings that have negatively impacted public confidence and feelings of belonging for some of our people.”
“As a number one priority at the City of London Police, we are committed to delivering a service that achieves the very highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and compassion. That means confronting any behaviours that compromise the confidence and trust of both our public and our staff.”
In 2023, the then Commissioner apologised to the LGBT+ community for “historical persecution under harmful policing practice”.
Chair of the City of London Police Authority Board, Tijs Broeke, said: “I am committed to working hard with colleagues from the City of London Police to ensure victims are at the heart of everything we do. Together we will make the force one of the most inclusive and trusted police services in the country.
“Police officers serve society, and that can only be effectively done with community consent. And so, we are determined to ensure that the force has a truly diverse mix of employees within its ranks and at all levels, working in a genuinely inclusive culture.
“The message we are sending to the public, and to police officers and staff, is clear – every single person has the right to feel and be safe no matter their identity.”
By 2027, City of London Police’s ambition is to become one of the most inclusive forces in the country, with greater, transparent reporting on the impact of actions, including how it is measured on the Inclusive Employers Maturity Index.
The force employs the fifth largest percentage of ethnic minority police officers (ten per cent) and the third highest percentage of ethnic minority staff (24 per cent) nationally.
Additionally, 60 per cent of police staff are female, although the force has one of the lowest representations of female police officers nationally (24 per cent).
City of London Police says it is looking at how to foster a more inclusive workplace for women officers and increase retention to improve representation levels year on year.
The force is introducing:
- A public satisfaction survey sent to victims of crime to better understand how victims feel about the service provided;
- A public survey, for anyone living, working, or visiting the City to give their feedback on how confident they are in the force and how safe they feel; and
- A consultation for feedback on the current City of London Policing Plan, ahead of a new plan being introduced in 2025.
City of London Police launched its ‘Our People – Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategy 2024 to 2027’, with a short film featuring its people, including police officers and staff, City partners and the Authority Board chair Tijs Broeke and chair of the Professional Standards and Integrity (Police) Committee Michael Mitchell.