With the growing negative media coverage that the Metropolitan Police have been facing, especially with the recent cases of Sarah Everard and the way the police force handled the Memorial protests and the Black Lives Matter protest, the force has recognised that the perceptions of the police have been declining. In aims to rebuild trust and faith between the police and the community, the focus is turning to implicit bias training to help their staff recognise when they are relying upon assumptions and stereotypes.

At the beginning of this week, The Safety Box®CIC had the pleasure of going to the Peele Centre in Hendon to facilitate brand new training for frontline officers. Launched in July 2021 by the Chief Inspector, Rhona Hunt, and the Metropolitan Police to address the implicit biases and gaps the Metropolitan Police may have when dealing with Black and Asian people, victims of abuse or young people who may be reacting with trauma responses.

The layout of the days was opened with a speech from the Chair of the Kingston Race and Equality Council, and Vice Chair of the Independent Advisory Group to the Metropolitan Police Service, John Azah OBE. . The days included first account stories from ex-gang members, domestic and sexual abuse victims, and a compelling speech about the effects of PTSD from Simon Durance, a former SAS soldier and the co-founder of PTSD 999. Alongside the main events were breakout sessions with some of the Safety Box facilitators and community leaders who were able to encourage discussions with the officers, exploring the topics of the stories and the takeaways that they have received from the conversations.

One of the major activities of the workshop was the use of Stop and Search role plays that the facilitators performed with the police, in order to highlight real life experiences from the points of view of both the police and the young people involved. This was extremely effective as it allowed for not only the police officers to contemplate on any instinctive bias they may have formed without realising, but it also allowed for a compassionate discussion to take place about the underlying issues behind a young person’s reaction. The facilitators also used role plays to showcase awareness and effective processes when dealing with cases of sexual assault, and particularly when dealing with children in cases of domestic violence. These role plays were also eye-opening and productive and showed examples of more empathetic and aware reactions to the victims in these situations.

A particularly harrowing first-hand account was from domestic and sexual abuse survivor, Natasha Saunders. She had detailed the horrific abuse she had endured for years at the hands of her ex-husband, and how she had managed to get help from the police after attempting to leave once before. On average in it takes up to 7 attempts for a victim to leave an abusive relationship. Her ex-husband was subsequently charged with and found guilty of three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by penetration and was sentenced to 12 years in prison and put on the sex offenders register for life. Natasha’s bravery, honesty and strength garnered a standing ovation from the trainee officers. Following the story, the facilitators discussed ways in which the police can do more to help victims of domestic abuse and how they can spot tell-tale signs. After the first lockdown, charities such as the Women’s Aid highlighted the increasing danger that high-risk women faced, and the lack of aid they would have due to Covid restrictions. To no surprise, the Office of National Statistics reported a rise of 12% in the number of domestic abuse cases referred to victim support. Now more than ever it is extremely important that the police force can recognise signs of abuse and step in to help.

Racial discrimination was a topic of discussion, especially in conversations around how the police approach and talk to young Black men. The facilitators provided the police with backgrounds of how negative interactions with them and ineffective Stop and Search methods can affect the community, and steer people away from reaching out to the police for help. The discussions were insightful, and everyone gained something important from it. Programs such as the Aspire Higher program, which is run in both schools and prisons, were mentioned here, as a way to show that all parties need compassion, encouragement and understanding when talking to each other, so that they foster a safe and supportive environment.

One of the final sessions focused on the mental health and wellbeing of the police officers themselves. Police work can be a highly demanding job role and in their line of work, officers see more troubling scenes than most. It is increasingly important that the officers protect their well-being, which will enable them to protect others and to do their jobs effectively and efficiently.  A common theme running through the sessions was imploring the officers to act with a human touch, making sure that their conduct is that of compassion and understanding. To be able to do this, these officers need to be able to take care of themselves. Through discussion, the officers concluded that a few things that could help them take care of themselves were the need to have a clear work/life balance and that they would need to support one another through difficult situations they may face. Each story was rounded off with an account of how the police handled the situations, what was done well and what could have been done better. They were also informed that The Safety Box also is a KCPO service provider, and assists in the support and education of police, and the safety and wellbeing on youth.

The workshop was a powerful way of showing these new officers how important their role is and how much of an impact each and every one of them will have on the lives of the people that they are here to protect. The information gained at these events will stay with the police for years to come and will influence the way they protect our streets and our youth in a far more well-informed, understanding, and compassionate manner.