MPS Awarded For Diversity Excellence

Police officers and staff across London have been recognised for their work in embracing diversity and improving equality at the first-ever Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Diversity Excellence Awards.

A Senior Detective who led the Met's approach to investigating 'honour' based crimes; a Safer Neighbourhoods team who developed a highly successful youth engagement project; and officers who worked to improve services to people with disabilities were among officers commended for their work in engaging with London’s communities and developing the Met’s diverse workforce.

DCI Caroline Goode, from the Met’s Homicide and Serious Crime Command won the Diversity Leadership Award for her work resulting in improved training for front line officers and staff, enabling them to identify crimes of 'honour' based violence at an early stage and to respond quickly and effectively to support victims.

The Met’s Edgware Safer Neighbourhoods team won the Community Engagement Award for the Nutmeg Project, a series of youth engagement concert events, built around dance and music, promoting an end to knife and gun crime. Over twelve months 2,250 young people attended the events and barriers between the local youth community and police have been broken down, leading to a drastic reduction in confrontational encounters on the street.

PC Steven Brown of Southwark Borough won the Fair and Responsive Services Award for delivering excellent policing services to communities living on the Aylesbury Estate in Southwark.

The Met’s Promoting Difference Team won the Workforce and Culture Award for developing a model to improve the development opportunities for BME officers in MPS promotion processes.

Other winners were officers from Brent police for their work with young people about stop and search, and an officer from Newham for her engagement with local Muslim community.

Deputy Commissioner and MPS diversity champion Tim Godwin who presented the awards at the special ceremony at New Scotland Yard, said: "I am proud of the men and women of the service and their desire to achieve and provide a professional service, with the continued challenges of the diverse and international city in which we serve."

(BMcN/KMcA)