Doreen Lawrence has accused Scotland Yard of arrogance and resisting change as she condemned the force for failing to promote black officers.
The social justice campaigner suggested that a lack of progress has been made since the damning Macpherson report was published 25 years ago, which criticised the police investigation into her son Stephen Lawrence’s murder as institutionally racist and flawed.
Seventy recommendations aimed at changing the police's approach to race relations and enhancing accountability resulted in setting specific targets for recruiting, retaining, and promoting black and Asian officers, along with establishing the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
However, Baroness Lawrence said that retaining black officers and promoting them remains a pressing concern within the Metropolitan Police.
She wrote in the Guardian: “I ask myself why the police are so resistant to change. My only conclusion is that they are arrogant, they believe only in themselves and don’t think they need to change.
“Occasionally I hear that a police officer has been suspended, but it’s not enough.
“So much more needs to be done. I’ve spoken to the commissioner and one of the things I told him is that only when the community can see and experience change, can they truly say they are making changes.
“Recruitment and retention of black officers within the police was one of the big areas that Macpherson highlighted for improvement. And it is a crucial issue today. In my experience, many senior officers are capable of understanding the issues involving policing of the black community. But the lower ranks don’t.”
The Labour peer said that data suggests black officers are more prone to discipline than white colleagues and face lower promotion rates. Lawrence also advocated for immediate educational reform to help eliminate discrimination.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matthew Ward and temporary DAC Dr Alison Heydari are the most senior black officers in the Met.
However, the force’s senior management team is the most diverse it has been in recent years.
Deputy Commissioner Dame Lynne Owens and three female assistant commissioners outnumber three men on the board, including Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley.
Baroness Lawrence’s son Stephen was stabbed to death aged 18 in an unprovoked, racially-motivated attack while waiting for a bus.
The bungled original investigation hampered by racism and alleged police corruption meant it took nearly 20 years for two of the killers to be brought to justice, with three named suspects never prosecuted.
Pippa Mill, Assistant Commissioner for the Met Police, said: “Baroness Lawrence is a tireless campaigner for social justice and her continued work to reform policing is a source of inspiration.
“We recognise the need for change and know we have let Black communities down. We are determined to transform the Met to a service all Londoners can be proud of.
“While significant progress has been made against Macpherson’s recommendations it is clear there is much more to do."
