WEST Midlands Police will recruit officers ‘from every community’ to build trust and confidence with the people it serves says the force’s newly elected Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster.
Speaking on the the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd, he said he is determined that the force becomes representative of the people and communities of the region.
George Floyd was murdered last year by a US police officer who knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes, igniting protests and revulsion around the world.
The PCC has committed to upholding the target set by his predecessor, David Jamieson, to recruit 1,000 officers from under-represented groups by 2023.
Mr Foster says he will also be looking closely at West Midlands Police’s use of force and stop and search powers to ensure they are being applied lawfully, fairly and proportionately.
And he stressed that panels made up of members of the public were the best way to do this job.
The panels will continue to have access to body worn video and police data which members scrutinise carefully.
“I am determined that we do far more to build trust and confidence with all of the people and communities in the West Midlands,” said Mr Foster.
“But we’ll only make progress if we change the way we do things.
“It is essential for trust and confidence that we have a police service that is representative of the people and communities it serves.
“I won’t rest until we do.”
