Showing posts with label News Update. Show all posts
Showing posts with label News Update. Show all posts
Call for Witnesses to potential Racial Profiling at Stratford Westfield
It appears police and security guards are asking some members of the public to walk through a knife-arch metal detector (see right) before allowing them entry to Westfield. The person who contacted us had asked police officers how people were selected and was told it is 'random' but reported that it was almost exclusively young black and Asian males who were targeted.If you have witnessed anything today in the area please get in contact with us as we would like to follow this up
Government report criticises police watchdog
A government report published today criticises the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission, for failing to win public trust.
The report was compiled by the Home Affairs Select Committee who carried out an inquiry in to the effectiveness and powers of the IPCC. Keith Vaz MP, who chairs the committee, described how "too often the work of the commission seems to exacerbate public mistrust, rather than mend it". Newham Monitoring Project made a submission to the inquiry based on our experience of casework at a community level and we are pleased to see a number of our comments have been cited and responded to in the report.
The report quoted NMP as one of many organisations who “raised concerns that the Commission was biased in favour of the police.” Regarding the IPCC’s track record, the report made the following observation:
NMP was also noted for its criticism of the IPCC’s lack of “investigatory rigour” and “thorough investigation.” The comment relates to the report’s belief that the public is losing faith in the IPCC. The report said:
In addition, NMP’s criticism of the handling of complaints by the Department of Professional Standards (DPS) was mentioned:
The DPS, located within the police, handles the vast majority of police complaints (with only those deemed 'most serious' dealt with directly by the IPCC) and is therefore the most likely route for someone making an everyday complaint, for example about a stop and search. NMP drew attention to the inequalities felt by many of our cases. Complainants often tell us that they feel the DPS have deliberately manipulated a complaint outcome into a confusing long-winded document leaving them with the impossible task of needing to appeal using detailed analysis, which is far better suited to a trained eye. This kind of process can disadvantage large sections of the community and leaves people both frustrated and without redress. This in turn prevents patterns of unfair behaviour being identified within the police, which can be driver for meaningful long-term change.
A submission to the inquiry by Netpol (the Network for Police Monitoring), which NMP is a member of, was also quoted in the report. They spoke of the failure of the IPCC to “critically analyse competing accounts, even with inconsistencies between officers’ accounts or a compelling account from a complainant.”
The report concluded, “Police officers are warranted with powers that can strip people of their liberty, their money and even their lives and it is vital that the public have confidence that those powers are not abused. In this report, we conclude that the Independent Police Complaints Commission is not yet capable of delivering the kind of powerful, objective scrutiny that is needed to inspire that confidence.”
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NMP thanks Tahmeena Bax (author of this article).
The report was compiled by the Home Affairs Select Committee who carried out an inquiry in to the effectiveness and powers of the IPCC. Keith Vaz MP, who chairs the committee, described how "too often the work of the commission seems to exacerbate public mistrust, rather than mend it". Newham Monitoring Project made a submission to the inquiry based on our experience of casework at a community level and we are pleased to see a number of our comments have been cited and responded to in the report.
The report quoted NMP as one of many organisations who “raised concerns that the Commission was biased in favour of the police.” Regarding the IPCC’s track record, the report made the following observation:
“The Newham Monitoring Project described the Commission as “a system that falls woefully short in its ability to be independent, accessible or effective.” Doreen Lawrence, mother of Steven Lawrence, told the Committee she had ”no confidence in [the Commission] whatsoever.”
NMP was also noted for its criticism of the IPCC’s lack of “investigatory rigour” and “thorough investigation.” The comment relates to the report’s belief that the public is losing faith in the IPCC. The report said:
“Frustration that the police were left to investigate themselves even in relatively serious cases was widespread… The number of former officers employed by the Commission was a continuing source of concern. About 11% of all staff and 33% of investigators are former police officers. As a result, several witnesses believed that the police thought that they were “untouchable”.
In addition, NMP’s criticism of the handling of complaints by the Department of Professional Standards (DPS) was mentioned:
“The Department of Professional Standards in the force being investigated was allowed to summarise the complaint (without consulting the complainant) and then proceed directly to investigating it on these terms.”
The DPS, located within the police, handles the vast majority of police complaints (with only those deemed 'most serious' dealt with directly by the IPCC) and is therefore the most likely route for someone making an everyday complaint, for example about a stop and search. NMP drew attention to the inequalities felt by many of our cases. Complainants often tell us that they feel the DPS have deliberately manipulated a complaint outcome into a confusing long-winded document leaving them with the impossible task of needing to appeal using detailed analysis, which is far better suited to a trained eye. This kind of process can disadvantage large sections of the community and leaves people both frustrated and without redress. This in turn prevents patterns of unfair behaviour being identified within the police, which can be driver for meaningful long-term change.
A submission to the inquiry by Netpol (the Network for Police Monitoring), which NMP is a member of, was also quoted in the report. They spoke of the failure of the IPCC to “critically analyse competing accounts, even with inconsistencies between officers’ accounts or a compelling account from a complainant.”
The report concluded, “Police officers are warranted with powers that can strip people of their liberty, their money and even their lives and it is vital that the public have confidence that those powers are not abused. In this report, we conclude that the Independent Police Complaints Commission is not yet capable of delivering the kind of powerful, objective scrutiny that is needed to inspire that confidence.”
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NMP thanks Tahmeena Bax (author of this article).
Racial abuse case against Newham officer PC MacFarlane dropped after second jury unable to reach verdict
Following two trial outcomes that resulted in a 'hung jury', the case against Newham police officer PC Alex MacFarlane, for racially abusing Mauro Demetrio, has been formally discharged today.
PC MacFarlane admitted it was his voice on a recording telling Mr Demetrio in the back of a police van in August 2011 that "the problem with you is you'll always be a nigger". However, he claimed in his defence that he thought Mr Demetrio had "low self-esteem" and his words were intended to help calm him down and "examine his lifestyle". He denied he was trying to demean or assert authority over Mr Demetrio.
Maria Demetrio, mother of Mauro Demetrio, who sat through both court cases spoke of her family's sadness at the verdict:
PC MacFarlane admitted it was his voice on a recording telling Mr Demetrio in the back of a police van in August 2011 that "the problem with you is you'll always be a nigger". However, he claimed in his defence that he thought Mr Demetrio had "low self-esteem" and his words were intended to help calm him down and "examine his lifestyle". He denied he was trying to demean or assert authority over Mr Demetrio.
Maria Demetrio, mother of Mauro Demetrio, who sat through both court cases spoke of her family's sadness at the verdict:
"I'm deeply disappointed with the outcome but really proud of my son for taking his complaint 'all the way'. Even though this officer was not found guilty, I hope this case will make other police officers think twice in future before using racist language or abusing their powers."Estelle du Boulay, Director of Newham Monitoring Project, which supported Mr Demetrio, said today:
"It is extremely rare for a police officer to be prosecuted and ever rarer for juries to find officers guilty; against these odds a hung jury verdict is still a significant achievement compared to an acquittal. However, we are worried that the message this sends out to the public is that racism in the police force can be acceptable and that police officers are above the law.
We commend Mr Demetrio on his bravery in raising his complaint and highlighting an experience that reflects those frequently reported by black communities but rarely taken seriously. We hope others will not be discouraged but will continue to fight racism, as clearly there is still a long way to go.
A particularly disturbing aspect of this case, which to us as anti-racist campaigners was beyond credulity, was that an experienced police officer could argue he used racially insulting language in attempts to 'calm' a black detainee down. This kind of conduct should never be condoned and this needs to be made clear to all officers.
It is of particular irony that this case occurred in August 2011, in the wake of the shooting of Mark Duggan and uprisings across the UK. At this time, tensions between black communities and the police were at the forefront of public consciousness. It appears that rather than heed the warnings about ignoring community alienation, these valuable lessons fell on deaf ears."
NMP now on Twitter and Facebook
Newham Monitoring Project can now be found on Twitter at @NMPEastLondon. Please follow us for regular updates on NMP's work.The project also has a new Facebook Page here.
Legal observer training day
If you are interested in becoming a legal observer, the Legal Defence Monitoring Group are running a training day on Sunday June 14 from 11am at St Ethelburga's Centre, 78 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AG. We will be hosting a discussion after the training to talk about further campaigns and practical strategies.
Check their website http://www.ldmg.org.uk/ for more details
Check their website http://www.ldmg.org.uk/ for more details
G20 protests in Newham
Protests against the G20 (Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors) will be happening across the city of London (April 1st) and in Newham on Thursday 2nd April around the Excel Centre in Canning Town.
Areas in Newham will be subject to heightened policing over this period affecting both protestors and residents. NMP is concerned about any potentially negative impact on the local community and infringement of rights of individuals in relation to policing during this time. We can be contacted for emergency advice, legal referrals and support on our 24 hour helpline on 0800 169 3111.
Information about the protests can be found here:
http://climatecamp.org.uk/home
http://www.g-20meltdown.org/index.html
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/03/425026.html
If you are planning to attend the G20 protests, information on your legal rights can be found here.
Newham Police have put out information warning of the impact on Newham residents.
If you are interested in participating in legal observation for the G20 events on 1/2 April, Climate Camp is offering training:
Tuesday 31st March
7pm at London Action Resource Centre (LARC)
62 Fieldgate St (corner of Parfett St)
Whitechapel, London E1 1ES.
The training will top up people's knowledge and work through some of the logistics. The details are here.
Any queries email legal@climatecamp.org.uk or call 07973 186549
Areas in Newham will be subject to heightened policing over this period affecting both protestors and residents. NMP is concerned about any potentially negative impact on the local community and infringement of rights of individuals in relation to policing during this time. We can be contacted for emergency advice, legal referrals and support on our 24 hour helpline on 0800 169 3111.
Information about the protests can be found here:
http://climatecamp.org.uk/home
http://www.g-20meltdown.org/index.html
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/03/425026.html
If you are planning to attend the G20 protests, information on your legal rights can be found here.
Newham Police have put out information warning of the impact on Newham residents.
If you are interested in participating in legal observation for the G20 events on 1/2 April, Climate Camp is offering training:
Tuesday 31st March
7pm at London Action Resource Centre (LARC)
62 Fieldgate St (corner of Parfett St)
Whitechapel, London E1 1ES.
The training will top up people's knowledge and work through some of the logistics. The details are here.
Any queries email legal@climatecamp.org.uk or call 07973 186549
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