This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2008)

The National Black Police Association (NBPA) is a police support organisation, founded in November 1999, which seeks to improve the working environment of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) staff in UK police forces, to enhance racial harmony and the quality of service to all communities of the United Kingdom.

Membership of the NBPA is open to all in policing including white people via local BPAs. The NBPA does not have individual membership it is made up by BPAs who each elect a representative to participate at national level on the National Executive Committee (NEC).

Contents 1 Black Police Association 2 National Communication Network 3 External links 4 see also

[edit] Black Police Association

The first Black Police Association (BPA) was founded in 1994, as a joint initiative between BME police staff within the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

This joint initiative raised concerns about the number of black staff who were leaving police forces throughout the UK. A meeting of BME staff from the MPS, known as the Bristol Seminars, led to the formation of a black support network, which formally became the UK's first Black Police Association in September 1994, launched by the MPS Commissioner Sir Paul Condon.

At the launch, Sir Paul Condon said: "I have made it clear where I stand. I see the formation of this Association as the only way forward."

On Oct. 12 & 13, 2006, Boalt Hall, Berkeley, University of California hosted an international, multidisciplinary roundtableon the role of rank-and-file officers in police reform. The roundtable was co-sponsored by the Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice, the Center for the Study of Law & Society, and the Regulatory Institutions Network at Australian National University. Included in the list of invited contributors was Superintendent Paul Wilson, Metropolitan Police Service, London, who presented his paper entitled The development and role of a Black Police Association in the wider police modernisation agendawhich serves as a useful insight into the socio-political beginnings of the UK’s first black police association.

[edit] National Communication Network

In October 1996, a National Communication Network was formed. This network included BME police staff members throughout the UK, and soon after its formation, members of the network resolved that a national association of BME police staff members should be formed, with the motto "One voice, strength in unity".

In early 1998, four representatives of the National Communication Network met with Home Secretary Jack Straw. Three representatives from the Metropolitan Police BPA, The Chair, Paul Wilson, Executive members Leroy Logan MBE and Bevan Powell MBE were accompanied by Ravi Chand QPM Chair of the Bedfordshire Police BPA. It was at this meeting that the Home Secretary volunteered to speak at the Met BPA Annual General Meeting, an offer which was gratefully accepted by the Chair, Paul Wilson. From this initial meeting and other meetings between the Home Office and representatives of the National Communications Network, in November 1998, the first interim executive committee of the National Black Police Association was elected to launch the NBPA. The executive committee had 14 executive members from 12 Constabularies.

[edit] External links

• Official website

[edit] see also

• Black British

• Black People

This law enforcement-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e