MPS launches new diversity campaign as UK’s first black female police officer dies aged 83

Sislin Fay Allen, who joined the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) in 1968 at the age of 29, making her the first black female police officer in both the force and the UK, died at her family home in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, on Monday (July 5).

Now the MPS is hoping to inspire more black, Asian and multiple ethnic heritage people to join the force as a police constable or a detective through a campaign of personal stories from “real life role models already thriving in the Met”.

Dame Cressida said Ms Allen was a “pioneer of her time and an inspiration for many”.

Ms Allen was working as a nurse at Croydon’s Queens Hospital when she decided to make a career change after seeing a recruitment advert for male and female officers. She trained at Peel House and her first posting was at Fell Road police station in Croydon, near her family and where she lived.

After spending a year at Croydon, she was posted to the Missing Persons Bureau at Scotland Yard and was later transferred to Norbury police station.

In 1972, Ms Allen resigned from the MPS and returned to Jamaica with her Jamaican-born husband and two children. During her time in Jamaica, she continued her policing career and joined the Jamaica Constabulary.

Ms Allen later returned to the UK with her family and moved to South London for a brief period before she again returned to Jamaica.

Dame Cressida said: “Sislin was a pioneer of her time and an inspiration for many when she became the first black female police officer in the Met and the UK. She paved the way for so many women that have followed in her footsteps and joined the Met after her.

“Sislin’s legacy lives on and today we will remember her life and her unique contribution to policing.”

T/Chief Constable Bernie O’Reilly, interim chief executive officer at the College of Policing, tweeted that policing “owes a great debt to Sislin Fay Allen, both for her service and for the courage she showed in becoming the first black female police officer and her legacy will live on in every person she inspired”.

Encouraged by Ms Allen’s pioneering legacy, officers from a range of diverse backgrounds and circumstances are sharing their personal stories to inspire others, particularly those from black, Asian and multiple ethnic heritage communities, to consider a career in policing with the MPS.

A black and gay police officer, and a senior detective who is also a working mother, are among a number of officers who will tell the public that ‘Now More Than Ever’ is the time to join the MPS as part of the new recruitment campaign launched today (July 7).

The MPS says each story is a celebration of the diversity in the force and illustrates how it is changing to reflect London.

This campaign follows the “bold steps” announced by the MPS earlier this year to further improve the trust and confidence of communities – particularly black communities – and the recruitment aspirations announced by Dame Cressida that black, Asian and multiple ethnic heritage officers will make up 40 per cent of all new officers recruited from April 2022.

Research conducted by the MPS ahead of the campaign found that the fear of disapproval from family and friends, worry of perceived prejudice within the force; and for women in particular, the perception that policing is an inflexible job for mums, were just some of the reasons cited by women and potential applicants from black, Asian and multiple ethnic heritage communities for not applying to join.

The MPS said: “At the heart of the campaign is the recognition of these challenges but also the stories of the real life role models already thriving in the Met.”

One of the officers, Police Constable Richard Gayle, wants to inspire other young black Londoners to join the MPS.

“Being a black, gay police officer hasn’t always been easy, but across the Met the right conversations are being had by the right people and equality is getting the attention it deserves,” he said.

Another of the ‘Now More Than Ever’ campaign’s ambassadors, Detective Chief Inspector Heather Pilkington, a mother-of-one, said friends and family doubted if a woman could make it as an officer when she joined the MPS 20 years ago.

“It made me question myself but through my own determination and the Met’s support, I was able to prove them wrong and forge a career path for myself, and pave the way for other female officers,” she said.

PC Gayle and Det Chief Insp Pilkington are among more than 5,000 black, Asian and multiple ethnic heritage officers in the MPS – 450 of whom joined in the past financial year.

Detective Chief Superintendent Tara McGovern, head of recruitment also chair of the MPS’s Network of Women, said: “The Met is one of the largest employers in London and with a broad range of roles, from neighbourhoods to firearms.

“We are already an exceptionally attractive employer, with more than 2,400 people joining us in the last financial year alone. We know that in a city like London, reflecting the communities we serve will only make us stronger and better at keeping people safe.

“Our recruitment efforts are also part of the bold steps we are taking to improve the trust and confidence in all communities – particularly black communities.

“I know there are many more people who want to make a difference, to help people and begin a career in a brilliant organisation, performing an exciting and extremely rewarding role.

“To those people – today – I say, now more than ever is the time to join the Met.”

In the past ten years, the number of black, Asian and multiple ethnic heritage officers in the MPS has increased by 65 per cent, from 3,091 in March 2011 to 5,086 in March 2021.

Of the 2,438 who joined the MPS as officers between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, 2,229 were new to policing.

The MPS says 39.7 per cent (884) of these “brand new officers” were women, of which 16.7 per cent (148) were black, Asian or multiple ethnic heritage.

As of March 31, 2021, women accounted for almost 30 per cent of all police officers in the MPS – a total of 9,265, including the newest 884 female recruits.

Of these, 14.1 per cent (1,310) are black, Asian or multiple ethnic heritage and account for more than a quarter of all MPS officers from these communities.

More than half of all black, Asian and multiple ethnic heritage officers in England and Wales work for the MPS.

Nationally, more than 20 per cent (449) of all recruits new to policing between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, were black, Asian or multiple ethnic heritage.