National Black Police Association holds annual conference in Belfast
Hundreds of delegates will travel to Titanic Belfast for the event where London Bridge hero Wayne Marques will be honoured.
The National Black Police Association is set to hold its annual conference in Belfast for the first time.
Almost 200 delegates from more than 30 police services across the UK will attend the conference on Wednesday and Thursday at Titanic Belfast, hosted by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
Keynote speakers include Bevan Powell, chair of the National Initiative for Leadership and Empowerment, and Home Secretary Sajid Javid who will present via video link.
National Black Police Association (NBPA) President Sergeant Tola Munro said the theme of this year’s conference will be, 20 years on: The MacPherson Inquiry: How far have we come.
The 1999 inquiry examined the Metropolitan police’s investigation of the murder of a black teenager, Stephen Lawrence.
Allegations of incompetence and racism against Metropolitan police officers in charge of the case soured race relations as did two internal police inquiries which exonerated the Met itself.
Stephen’s father, Dr Neville Lawrence, had been due to address the conference but has been unable to travel to the event due to ill health.
Mr Munro said there is still work to be completed following the inquiry.
“We have worked closely with our colleagues in the PSNI Ethnic Minority Police Association and other Ethnic Minority Associations across the UK to ensure this conference will allow people to engage, debate and discuss how far we have come since the MacPherson Inquiry and although we have come a long way, we know there is still work that needs to be completed,” he said.
“We will be asking ourselves over the next two days ‘How far have we come?’ and discussing how we can continue to improve the legitimacy of policing in the UK.”
PSNI’s Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said he is proud to stand alongside colleagues from the NBPA in “promoting good race relations and equality of opportunity within all police services”.
“It is more important than ever that we stand united in the face of hatred and discrimination,” he said.
“Hate crime is a heinous crime and all police services across the UK and Ireland are reaching out to everyone to monitor and respond to tensions, offer reassurance and strengthen bonds.”
