Week 3: Race, ethnicity and the legacies of historic policing

Introduction

The policing of Black and Asian citizens is currently a contentious issue. Statistics compiled by police forces show that Black and Asian citizens are more likely to be stopped and searched, and more likely to be subject to the use of force, than white citizens. A number of police forces have been publicly criticised over deaths in custody of Black and Asian citizens. Some police forces have declared themselves ‘institutionally racist’, while others have refuted the charge. Policing has a new Race Action Plan but public trust in the police is declining and is lowest of all among Black communities.

What are the historical roots of this complex issue?

Figure 1: A protester in central London during the Million People March, August 30th, 2020

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A young, female protester wearing a hijab stands in the road holding a cardboard sign which reads ‘I can’t breathe’. Three police officers (two male and one female) stand in the background, in front of two buses

Figure 1: A protester in central London during the Million People March, August 30th, 2020

Figure 1: A protester in central London during the Million People March, August 30th, 2020 [Description: A young, female protester wearing a hijab stands in the road holding a cardboard sign which reads ‘I can’t breathe’. Three police officers (two male and one female) stand in the background, in front of two buses] Source: https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/black-lives-matter-protesters-are-seen-during-the-million-news-photo/1228270777?adppopup=true

This week is designed to help you understand why the policing of Black and Asian communities is such a contested and emotive issue. You will study historical evidence to help you understand how policing practices in the mid- and late-twentieth century contributed to the situation today. At the end of the week, you will reflect on the lessons this difficult history can teach us about the problems policing is facing today.

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

• appreciate why the policing of Black and Asian citizens is emotive and contested
• discuss the historic policing of Black and minority ethnic communities in the twentieth century
• analyse evidence to consider how the past is still relevant to day-to-day policing and public debate.

You’ll start, however, with an introductory video which outlines the issues the British police are grappling with and provides a brief overview of the history relevant to these complex present-day problems.

[Insert c. 2-3 minute introductory video]