I write in response to your report (Police ‘forced to disclose ethnicity of suspects to counter far-right speculation’, 2 November).
In 2020 I spoke to a senior Metropolitan police officer about the fact that the identification of suspects and arrested persons by ethnicity is only publicised when the person involved is non-white, creating the impression that most crime is committed by non-white criminals. This is particularly the case when the crime is committed in an area identified as one with a high ethnic minority population. If there is a headline “Brixton rapist”, how many white people will assume the suspect is white if he is not identified by ethnicity?
The reporting of ethnicity only when non-white creates the impression that a disproportionate amount of crime is committed by ethnic minorities. This, combined with the nebulous concept of “British values” – which apparently I do not share unless taught – suggests that those of my Caribbean heritage have a “criminal gene”, rather than being seen as a logical intersectionality between lack of opportunity, racism and social position.
So let us create a level playing field and reveal the background of every suspect.
Martin Forde KC
London
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