People from BAME backgrounds are more likely to be fined for breaching Covid lockdown rules in Hertfordshire

The figures are from The National Police Chiefs' Council
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People from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds in Hertfordshire were fined at a higher rate for breaching Covid-19 lockdown rules than white people, new figures suggest.

Figures published by the The National Police Chiefs' Council show Hertfordshire Police handed out 259 fines between March 27 and May 25.

Of those, 189 were to white people and 67 to those of black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds.

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Analysis carried out by Government statisticians for the NPCC suggests that people from BAME backgrounds were fined at a rate of 4.5 in every 10,000 people, compared to 1.8 in every 10,000 white people.

That means fines for BAME people were 2.5 times higher than for white people – above the national average of 1.6.

Rates were calculated using police force area population estimates from mid-2016 – the latest year with an ethnicity breakdown.

The figures include residents as well as those who travelled to the area.

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire Police said: "Since the coronavirus Health Protection regulations came into force Hertfordshire Constabulary has followed the nationally agreed 4 X Es approach with enforcement only used as a last resort.

"This resulted in a low number of FPNs being issued, with the vast majority of people following the guidelines.

"In the period Friday 27 March to Monday 25 May, the constabulary issued 259 FPNs for breaches of the coronavirus regulations.

"This is equivalent to just over two FPNs per 10,000 residents. Of these, 189 were issued to white individuals and 67 to people of a black, Asian and ethnic minority background (three were unknown ethnicity).

"Three-quarters of all Hertfordshire FPNs were issued for breaching national travel restriction regulations.

"Nearly one third of all FPNs were issued to people who do not live in Hertfordshire travelling into, or through, the county. This is the 10th highest rate out of 42 police service areas.

"Clearly, this is an important factor when looking at who FPNs were issued to compared to the county’s demography as a whole, including ethnicity. When looking only at FPNs issued to Hertfordshire residents, the rate of issue fell from just over two to 1.5 per 10,000 residents.

"The number of FPNs issued to all black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) residents across Hertfordshire was at a rate of 2.3 per 10,000 population. This compared with 1.4 per 10,000 population for people who identified as white.

"Expressed as a disparity rate (i.e. the rates per 10,000 resident BAME people as a ratio of the rates per 10,000 resident white people) showed that it was 1.6 times higher for BAME people than white people, the same as the national average."

The National Police Chiefs' Council says it is concerned by "disproportionality" in the issuing of fixed penalty notices by forces in England and Wales, but added the picture is complex with wide variation across the two countries.

The data also suggests that across England and Wales, young men aged between 18 and 34, from BAME backgrounds, were over-represented by around twice the rate of young white men in the same age groups.

NPCC chairman Martin Hewitt said: “While it is a complex picture, it is a concern to see disparity between white and black, Asian or ethnic minority people.

“Each force will be looking at this carefully to assess and mitigate any risks of bias – conscious or unconscious – and to minimise disproportionate impact wherever possible.

“Many forces have brought in community representatives to help them scrutinise the circumstances around each FPN and if it has been issued fairly."

He added that the NPCC is working towards a plan of action to address issues of inclusion and race equality, such as lower trust in police from black communities and concerns around the use of stop and search.

Analysis showed huge variation in the number of fines issued in different areas of the country, with rates generally higher in coastal areas and beauty spots.

But it found those areas typically have relatively small BAME populations, meaning a small number of fines issued to BAME people could lead to high disparity rates.

The spokesperson for Hertfordshire Police added: "As outlined in the national briefing this is a complex area and whilst the analysis does not provide answers as to why the disproportionality occurs, it is a cause of concern for us.

"We are committed to tackle all forms of racism and bias in any form. We have a number of independent scrutiny panels that challenge us in relation to our application of the law and also support us in developing our working practices."