More work needed to diversify West Midlands Police force, says commissioner

The force had specifically intended to use a recruitment drive where 450 new constables would be brought in to increase the number of black and minority ethnic (BME) officers, as well as younger recruits, in an attempt to better reflect the communities it serves.

The fresh intake is being staggered and the first two groups totalling 162 officers included 13 Asian, one listed as black and seven mixed race, alongside 138 white recruits.

West Midlands police and crime commissioner David Jamieson called on the force to 'up its game' and make sure that BME recruitment levels are improved in the future.

He said: "It is quite right that we should only recruit the very best people, but West Midlands Police clearly need to do more to engage with communities to ensure that more BME people apply to be police officers.

"The police should look like the public it serves.

"I believe that West Midlands Police is an open organisation that is welcoming of people from all backgrounds, but also an organisation that needs to do much more to ensure that people from all backgrounds apply to join their ranks.

"Policing is a career for all and I want to make sure that we realise that ambition."

During a meeting of the West Midlands Crime Commissioners strategic policing and crime board, Mr Jamieson was given assurances by West Midlands Police's assistant chief constable, Marcus Beale, that the force is doing all it can to improve the BME figures.

However, board member and former Birmingham councillor Ernie Hendricks said it could be the case that the first round of applications would represent the greatest amount of interest from BME members of the public and there was a possibility that figures could decrease in the future as a result.

Deputy police and crime commissioner Yvonne Mosquito added that she was disappointed by the figures and that the issue was 'too important' not to prioritise.

She said: "I am proud to have helped to have driven change on the use of stop and search to make it more proportional.

"The next challenge that I have set my sights on is making sure that more people from BME communities apply to join the force and make the police force look more like the public it serves.

"To do that West Midlands Police needs to do more to make sure that people from different backgrounds are coming forward to apply to join the force in the first place.

"The number of BME people recruited by the force so far is disappointing and needs improving.

"What is important now though is making sure that West Midlands Police gets it right with the next set of recruits.

"I will be pushing hard to make sure the police get it right this time, it is too important not to."

West Midlands Police recently invited applications for another 200 police officer positions, which it hopes will result in an increase in positions filled by BME people.