Final Report of the Morris Inquiry: The Case for Change

THE CASE FOR CHANGE
5.47 It appears to us that this unfair treatment of the Detective Sergeant
concerned was due in part to the apparent desire of the senior officer to appease
influential members of the community. Instead of dealing with the complaint fairly
and carrying out an investigation, the officers involved seem to have panicked in
the face of a homosexual officer dealing with a homosexual victim and rushed to
apologise for conduct which was in fact entirely professional.
5.48 We have already referred to one example of box ticking in relation to
managing difference. Mr Mahroof, of the Association of Muslim Police, does not
appear to be alone in being sought out at certain times:
“… in my last job, at [redacted], I had a colleague who was gay and very into diversity and very
knowledgeable, and whenever they wanted to know about diversity, they used to come and
communicate with him, and after that, they did not communicate with him, so just to give you
an idea. He found that very amusing.” (Evidence of Josephine Poole, Jewish Police Association.)
5.49 If dealing with difference can be reduced to a box that has to be ticked when
a promotion board is on the horizon or at other significant times, it is not truly
embedded in the organisation and managers in the MPS are not likely to
understand how to get the best from the people they manage.
5.50 The Deputy Commissioner has made clear where the MPS wishes to be.
“… diversity is the only agenda possible for the future. It is just as straightforward as that. And
when I say that, I really want to make clear this point: this is not just a moral issue, although it is
a moral issue: it is actually a purely brutal business case. The Met is the largest single employer
in London. If we do not make ourselves the employer of choice within our financial ranges for
Londoners, we will not get the people we need. And I am utterly determined that the service
should be welcoming to everybody. If it is not welcoming to everybody we will just not get
the best people.” (Evidence of the Deputy Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair.)
5.51 We support the aspiration of the MPS to become the “employer of choice”
and agree that realising this ambition is key to delivering excellent policing to
the people of London. We are nevertheless concerned that at present the overall
approach of the MPS is not managing difference in a way which will enable it to
achieve its goal.
5.52 The paradigm of managing difference must be turned into concrete action
and be the golden thread which runs through all areas of MPS activity. We are
concerned that this is not the reality at present, and unless the organisation’s
approach to managing difference is reviewed, diversity will remain poorly
understood and remain a tick box exercise for a significant part of the organisation.
5.53 In reaching this conclusion, we wish again to recognise the genuine
commitment and efforts of many officers and staff in the MPS over the past few
years. The policy is right; it is the approach which needs to be reviewed.
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