Hertfordshire Police celebrates Black History Month

Hertfordshire Police will be joining police forces across the country in recognising and celebrating the achievements of our Black, Asian and minority ethnic officers and staff during Black History Month (October).

The special month aims to promote and celebrate Black contributions to British society, whilst getting a better understanding of Black history in general.

The event is widely supported and endorsed by the UK government, UK businesses and organisations and has been a regular fixture in Hertfordshire Police’s calendar for many years.

Chief Constable Charlie Hall said: “Black History Month not only gives us an opportunity to celebrate the contribution of our own staff, but also that of our Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities across the county.

"It also enables me to reinforce our determination to tackle racism and the hate crime that is often associated with prejudice,” explained Chief Constable Charlie Hall.

“It is also a time when we reflect on the history of our diverse communities and gain a better understanding and appreciation of the different journeys people have experienced and the challenges they have faced.

“Over the past year we have continued to focus our efforts on attracting more people of colour into the force, to make it fully representative of the communities it serves.

"Thanks to the hard work of our Positive Action team and our many mentors, who support candidates through the application process, I am pleased to report that we have seen a significant increase in applicants from diverse backgrounds, with many of those successfully completing the process and their training.

"We have worked hard to ensure we have measures in place to help these new recruits progress and reach their full potential with us.

“We are also working hard to develop our existing officers of colour. We understand that for many of our Black and Asian staff, the journey into policing has been challenging in itself, and we are developing a robust support system to help them progress.

“Across October, my teams of officers and staff will be involved with various engagement events, celebrations and operations and we are focusing on four key themes - education, community engagement, recruitment and progression.

“We continue to be indebted to our network of volunteers from diverse backgrounds who assist us in the role of ‘critical friends’ and help us to respond more effectively to the complexities of modern-day policing.

“My thanks to all the communities who support and advise us every day of the year on a vast array of cultural and religious issues. You help us see the world in a different way and better understand the needs of local residents.”

For more details about what's happening in Hertfordshire visit the force's Facebook or Twitter page.

If you feel inspired to become a Hertfordshire police officer, visit hertspoliceofficer.co.uk to find out how to apply.

Through the ‘Positive Action’ scheme, Hertfordshire Police is committed to building relationships with under-represented groups and encouraging them to join the policing family.