Ethnic Police Officers

[flip-flop]

In a bid to reach the government target of 7%, ACPO have suggested "affirmative action" by fast-tracking black and asian recruits.

Four questions;

1 - is this simply another phrase for 'positive discrimination? (an oxymoron if ever I've heard one!).
2 - Isn't this discriminatory against white recruits?
3 - If yes to point 2, isn't this racist?
4 - Finally, isn't this illegal?

[Loosehead]

yes x 4

[youngmafbog]

Got it in 1 flip flop (well four I suppose) !

Should keep the liberal elite happy though.

[Marky B]

I am dead against this. I have nothing against people of ethnic minorities joining our police force or indeed any other organisation in our society,but this is racism in reverse. I believe the person should come first - their gender,their religion,their ethnic background or even their sexual orientation should not come into it. If equality for all is to be achieved,then that is the way.
Ta Ta
Marky B

[sp1814]

Couple of points:

Affirmative action has built in problems...white police officers will feel that they are being overlooked in favour of black and Asian recruits, which will lead to resentment. It already does (I have a two white police mates who tell me this).

The flip side of the problem is that to get rid of the need for affirmative action we have to be pretty certain that we've eradicated all prejudice in the police force and that everyone starts from a 'level playing field'.

This isn't the case is it?

Let me put it another way - there are private schools which have bursaries for children from financially poor backgrounds. Should these be eradicated because the children of well off parents have the pay the full whack?

What's the difference?

Personally, I would hate to be the beneficary of affirmative action because of the reasons I've always given.

You know something though - when I hear cries of racism from 'the other way round', it reminds me of the men who shout about domestic abuse from their wives - yeah it does happen, and it's unnacceptable...but it's been happening and still does happen 'the traditional way' a lot more than you'd care to think.

[Gromit]

ACPO have not suggested this.

This has been submitted for debate at their June conference. This has not yet been discussed by ACPO members let alone voted on or approved as ACPO policy.

It would require a change in the Law which the Home Office have already let know, they are not in favour of.

This call from the fringes for disciminatory fast tracking crops up regularly and obviously, no one takes it seriously. Here is the same call from 2004

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3659650.stm

It is not a good idea, and will not happen for that very reason. Look at the bigger picture not the news grabbing headines.

[sp1814]

Flipping hell...have we been dailymailed again?

I hate when that happens.

[flip-flop]

BBC'd as opposed to Dailymailed.

[Gromit]

To be fair to the Daily Mail (I don't know why)

They actually wrote:

"The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) is to consider whether it should press for a change in the law to allow "affirmative action" to recruit minorities.

But hey, let's get angry anyway!

[sp1814]

flip-flop

I use it as a generic term now - not specifically aimed at the DM (hence it being in lower case).

I just mean those new stories crumble when you analyze them...but they make fantastic fear-based headlines.

I would use the term dailyexpressed, but I would only be referring to headlines involving Princess Diana.

[Gromit]

Bloody Guardianistas strike again!

[anotheoldgit]

I thought the dropping of entrance standards into most uniformed services had been in force over quite a few years. Because how is it we have ended up with 5 feet nothing police officers, and rather over weight sailors etc. etc? And didn't the Labour Party put a block on Male parliamentary candidates, to help to fill the Labour benches with more Female MPs?

sp1814 regarding your point about children from poorer backgrounds, being educated in fee paying private schools.
I don't know if you have ever seen that old black & white film, 'The Guinea Pig' starring Richard Attenborough, this was a prime example of how tough it could be for the poor kid in those days, and I have no reason to believe it would be any different these days.

[sp1814]

anotheoldgit - my mother wouldn't allow us to watch black and white telly when I was growing up because she was afraid the one of our neighbours would walk in and assume we couldn't afford a colour TV.

True.

[redhead23]

i do not care what color they are as long as we get more people recruiting for the police force , i think ethnic minorities are few in the police , hence the reason they are now doing this

the more police the better !

[sp1814]

Here here Redhead.

...and less overweight police.

If I've just burgled a house, at least I want the copper chasing me to have a half decent chance of catching me, otherwise, where's the fun.

(I'm so kidding).