Steven Lawrence case: Black community and Police relations; What can be learnt and what can be done ?

Police actions and behaviour that will always lay foundation of confidence of Black communities in Police anti-discrimination treatments.

Police behaviour towards the Black communities shouldn’t only be guided by the Macpherson report recommendations, but it should be guided by a strong equality value that should be held by each individual member of the Police. Furthermore equality principles should not only be held on the Police institution motto, but it should be reflected in each of their actions.

LCSI's experience in working with various communities and research have found out that good and active working collaboration between Black and ethnic minority community based organisations and Statutory Services facilitate the building of trust and better understanding between communities served by those organisations and Statutory Services.

Thus community based organisations and grassroots based services serving predominately ethnic minority communities play an important bridging role and enable valuable learning to the Statutory Services.   

Therefore LCSI recommends close working relationship with Police and Black and Ethnic minority communities’ organisations. This is an important pathway to develop mutual trust and good collaborations that lead to sustainable and fruitful outcomes for both the community and statutory services.