George Floyd death has made us evaluate what we do, says West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner

Mark Burns-Williamson, the police and crime commissioner for West Yorkshire Police, has spoken to the Yorkshire Evening Post about the safety of officers on the streets, crime during lockdown and the impact that events in America following the death of George Floyd, while being detained by police, has had on Leeds people.

In day two of an exclusive interview with the man elected by the public eight years ago to hold the work of the police to account, we talk about racism - in and out of the police force - and how events across the world have affected our communities.

He said: “When something like that happens internationally it has such a huge impact of course and gives us cause to look again at everything that we are doing.”

Race hate statistics

Recent figures issued by West Yorkshire Police reveal that up to May of this year there had been 2,141 race hate incidents reported to the force for Leeds, and, 5,845 for the whole of West Yorkshire.

For the 12 month period up to May 2019, the figures were 2,391 for Leeds and 6,034 for West Yorkshire.

However, these figures won’t take into account any effect that the death of George Floyd, which was on May 25, will have gone on to have on racially aggravated incidents and the city’s BME communities, but a survey Mr Burns-Williamson is already conducting seems to suggest these figures may rise.

He said: “While I have been in this role I have set up a network with BAME organisations. I consult with lots of voluntary and third sector groups in these BAME communities across West Yorkshire.

“I have a survey out as well asking for feedback on how people have been impacted in COVID on community safety and crime. We are just working through that at the moment, that closes at the end of the month, but looking at the responses we have had so far - 50 per cent have said they have been impacted by events internationally and the George Floyd death.

Clearly we have seen the protests in London and other parts of West Yorkshire. I am pleased to say they have gone really peacefully and I certainly support the Lord Mayor in Leeds in the 8for8 campaign.”

More to do

However, despite such campaigns and debate, which has opened up over recent weeks, he says more needs to be done still.

“I am in touch with councillors and MPs to make sure we are doing everything we can to work with our communities because there is no doubt more needs to be done around BAME representation and how as a society we treat people fairly and equally.”

One of the key ways to do that is neighbourhood policing that establishes and maintains relationships between communities but the lack of funding that is likely to be a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic is a concern.

The neighbourhood policing approach is favoured by Mr Burns-Williamson who, as part of his police and crime plan set out at the beginning of his current term of office, put protecting frontline police and protecting community support officers among his list of top priorities.

He said: “I am a great believer in neighbourhood police and we have managed to retain despite the years of austerity and cuts. It is difficult in terms of the funding situation and dealing with the COVID situation means we have incurred further costs.

“But, coming back to the local aspect, having that sort of engagement with communities is crucial in these types of situations.”

Debate over arming officers

Neighbourhood policing is also one which requires partnership working, grass-roots level relationships and an approachable police force - ruling out heavier handed tactics that could have been justified given recent attacks on police officers as some Black Lives Matters protests around the country turned violent.

Mr Burns-Williamson added: “We police by consent in this country. In America there has been far too many killings that have occurred through officers using firearms. I hope that we don’t ever get to the position where we have to routinely arm police officers but on the flip side we have seen increased assaults on police officers and emergency service workers which is totally unacceptable. There is a balance to be struck.

“I was sickened to see those events (in London) and attitudes of people who purport to be there for certain reasons but they are just to court trouble.

“I don’t support routinely arming police officers, it would be a sad day to get to that. We have specialist officers in firearms units, and we need those because of issues around counter terrorism and organised crime but they are very much in a targeted way.

“The police would not support officers being routinely armed - when the Police Federation has done surveys, that has been the feedback. I think we are a long way from anything like that.”