The head of London’s policing watchdog says the Met has “a very long way to go” before its workforce matches the capital’s diversity.
Joanne McCartney, chair of the London Assembly’s Police and Crime Committee which scrutinises the force, said the fact that 12% of officers now come from BME communities was welcome but still left the force “nowhere near reflective” of the capital’s ethnic mix.
Her comments came as Mayor Boris Johnson and Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe visited Hendon Police Training College where they saw 216 officers pass out.
The pair hailed the fact that 18% of the new intake are BME and 35% are female.
Mr Johnson said: “London is one of the most diverse cities in the world and we are now beginning to see the creation of a police force that truly reflects the city that it serves.”
Sir Bernard said he was “pleased to have more officers from minorities joining the Met and pleased by the rise in female officers too” and promised the voice would “keep working hard to reflect the London we serve.”
Both the Mayor and Sir Bernard also vowed to protect the frontline which today reached the Mayor’s target of 32,000 officers.
However Ms McCartney questioned the sustainability of that number, pointing out that the Commissioner himself last night said budget cuts could lead to a smaller force.
