Greater Manchester Police branded 'institutionally racist'

A newly published report has examined the use of police powers across communities

Greater Manchester Police has been described as institutionally racist by the chairwoman of a panel scrutinising the force's record.

Elizabeth Cameron suggested disproportionate use of police powers went "beyond unconscious bias and into the realms of racism".

A report into race equality issues at GMP found officers were four times more likely to use force on black people.

Chief Constable Stephen Watson rejected the claim.

However, he admitted it was likely the force could feasibly employ "somebody who behaves in a racist way".

But he insisted they would be "rooted and booted out" of the force.

The 2021 Achieving Race Equality Report, which was commissioned by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, examined the use of police powers across different groups.

• What is a Section 60 stop and search?

• 'I wouldn't report crime to my own force'

• Police chief vows to revive 'underperforming' force

It found black people were four times more likely to have force used against them in comparison to white people.

It also revealed they were 2.8 times more likely to be arrested, 5.7 times more likely to be Tasered and 5.3 times more likely to have been stopped and searched.

The report also found officers were more likely to refer to the physique of black people when justifying a decision to use force against them, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Ms Cameron said this showed some members of the force were relying on "racist tropes".

She added: "It lends itself towards what I call the institutional racism that exists, and it's undeniable."

Elizabeth Cameron said things "will get worse if we don't address what is here"

"Probably every black person from those communities has some form of video on their phone right now that they could show of community members who have been unfairly jostled by the police, aggressively treated," she added.

The report also said people from ethnic groups, such as Chinese or Arab, were more than five times more likely to be arrested, four times more likely to have force used against them, as well as almost eight times more likely to be Tasered.

Mr Watson said the use of stop and search and Tasers were "effective tools in our efforts to keep communities safe".

But he said he recognised "when not done properly, their use can divide and undermine confidence in policing".

"It is important we explain our actions and be directly accountable for them," he added.

He also said action had been taken to "recruit new officers who truly represent the diversity of Greater Manchester".

Stephen Watson (centre) pictured with deputy mayor for policing Beverley Hughes and Andy Burnham

The report found the number of black officers, staff and PCSOs had slightly increased since 2014, from 93 to 111, while the number of Asian people employed by the force had more than doubled in the same period, from 259 to 592.

Mr Burnham said the force was "entering a new era and it needs to be one defined by greater openness and more accountability to the communities it serves".

He admitted the report would "cause concern in a number of communities" but said he would work closely with the force and the GM Race Equality Panel "to improve the situation".