Examination of Witness (Questions 160-162)
12 MAY 2004
INSPECTOR ROBIN
DEMPSEY
Q160 Chairman: But you do not as the
police service make any positive efforts to encourage police officers
from the ethnic minorities to come and take part in this work
which they could obviously do with a greater sensitivity than
someone not from one of those minorities.
Inspector Dempsey: It is an opportunity
for them and obviously our selection procedure is open and transparent
and they can apply for that post. It would be a good step for
one to do that.
Q161 Chairman: Is there any carrot for
a police officer applying to do this job?
Inspector Dempsey: Not that I
am aware of.
Q162 Chairman: I am just asking these
questions because there are some jobs in large organisations which
are unpopular so it is made clear that if someone does that job
for a bit they might get promoted and then move on to a job which
would be attractive. You have to do something, do you not, to
try to get more of them in—and I understand the problem
with that, as I understand the problem of the Patten reforms and
the strict 50/50 which does give you real difficulties. Having
got 20 officers in, should you not make use of their ethnicity
for your own benefit?
Inspector Dempsey: We do make
use of it. It is not the minority liaison officers who investigate
these incidents, it is the operational police officers and these
20 would be operational police officer who would be involved perhaps
at the outset of an investigation. I can see that being a very
positive encouragement to a victim if an officer who was visibly
minority ethnic appeared at a racial incident. The police service
has tremendous opportunities for everybody and community safety
is something some particular individual could be motivated to
undertake.
Chairman: Thank you very much indeed.
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