Met to test recruits on racial awareness

THE METROPOLITAN Police is to improve training and recruitment in a bid to counter racism within the force, following the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Condon outlined several new measures in his submission to the Lawrence Inquiry earlier yesterday, which he said would help combat racism within the force, and improve the way it handles racially motivated crime.

Sir Paul Condon said: "We recognise that, in the eyes of individuals and communities in London, police action may be perceived and experienced as racist, regardless of the intent behind the actions. One some occasions the racist behaviour may be intentional on the part of the police officers."

Sir Paul said future selection procedures would include a test of the candidate's awareness of race issues, which would be open to external scrutiny. The Metropolitan Police force also proposes monitoring how many people from ethnic communities are stopped and searched, arrested and charged.