Final Report of the Morris Inquiry: The Case for Change

MANAGING DIFFERENCE
treated in this organisation, and it will stop. I am determined to stop it. You cannot treat people
in the way that I have been hearing about for the last five months. Outrageous behaviour;
outrageous comments; scandalous. And it will stop, because if not, any issue would be like corruption,
they are out, as far as I am concerned.” (Evidence of the Commissioner, Sir John Stevens.)
“I have recently invited Carole Howlett to set up a commission on the experience of women
as employees of the MPS, work which is only just beginning. This indicates, I hope, the way in
which the MPS is continually striving to make changes in the way in which a modern organisation
can be expected to do.” (Submission from the Deputy Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair.)
5.30 We have also received evidence that would indicate that other aspects of
difference may have been as, or perhaps even more, neglected. Indeed, we
received evidence from representatives of the various staff support associations who
expressed concern about the MPS’ insensitivity to their beliefs, needs, contribution
and even their existence.
“The lack of understanding – I do not mean to sound like mindless whining, but even to the
point of, say, food. If you do not eat certain types of food and you are dealing with a riot, or
you have been asked to do aid, and in that box is food that you cannot eat, and you have gone
along and you have had your feeding and there is food there that you cannot eat at the
feeding, except for maybe a banana, then you are going 12 hours without eating.”
(Evidence of Josephine Poole, Jewish Police Association.)
“… an example is there is a disability fair being held at Scotland Yard, across the road, today,
where a number of disabled charities have been invited to come along, and staff can come in
and meet them. The Disabled Staff Association have not been invited to it, or offered to set up
any stands or anything, and that would have been an excellent opportunity for us to work in
partnership with disabled charities, and also for our staff to see that they have an association,
but we have just been ignored … the organisation has not bothered.” (Evidence of Mr PP.)
“We had more complaints coming into the Gay Police Association, because officers were
being told, for example,‘When you stand up in class and give this pen portrait of yourself ’,
which some people find very, very difficult – one example was,‘Excuse me, love’, and this is
from one of the instructors,‘You have not said, married, single, what is going on?’ And she said,
‘I am single’. She was most unhappy about that, because when she then phoned the GPA, she
said,‘Well, that is my first lie in the police, because I am not single, I happen to have a same sex
partner, but I was not able or prepared or willing to divulge that in those circumstances’, and
so forth.” (Evidence of Kevin Boyle, Gay Police Association (GPA).)
“It is not uncommon for a committed Christian member of staff to be ostracised or treated
with suspicion if they mention their faith to their colleagues. There are examples of staff being
bullied and prevented from promotion. This applies to all ranks and grades across the M.P.S.
and across the Police service in general. Many because of fear will remain silent and their full
talents within their role are not fulfilled. Blasphemous comments and jokes about religion
(that also offend Muslim and Jewish staff) are littered in everyday job speak.”
(Submission from the Christian Police Association (CPA).)
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