welshgirlyUK

Source

I know this debate has been growing over the past couple of years but i saw debate about this on television earlier, it was really interesting but there was only limited time so i'd love to read what you all have to say on this topic.

I personally dont see anything good in 'positive discrimation.' I dont see how any type of discrimination is positive. I want the best person for the job, especially in such an important job as the police force.

A friend of mine recently applied to the police force, he has an iranian father and a British mother and when he applied he was told if he classified his race as white British he would be highly unlikely to get in, but he went this route anyway as he classifies himself as British. He didn't get past the first section. He then re applied and ticked his race as Asian and got an interview. Nothing had changed, he had no new qualifications or experience and his application form was exactly the same as the other one, the only difference was his race.

This just makes me uneasy, it means were potentionally hiring people who aren't the best people for the job and i feel all this will accomplish will be in making race relations, which are already tense, worse.

elisheva

I find this to be a really tricky question, because I can see both sides. Generally, though, I think that recruiting more minorities to be part of the police force is a good idea....there might be better ways to test before trying something as controversial as affirmative action. If they've already tried other ways, though, then maybe this is the best choice in the end.

Jacob1983

This is crap if you ask me. It's like police stations are only looking out for their own images and reputations. They don't really care about diversity and equality. They just don't want to appear racist and discriminatory toward minorities.

I wonder how white men especially cops in England feel about the great amazing thing that is affirmative action?

welshgirlyUK

Its not just England, Wales and Scotland are doing it too.

Well there was a poll cast with viewers, and the majority of viewers were against this, but well thats obviously not the statistics representing the general population but just the viewers of the show.

I can see that the theory behind it is trying to be more positive, in that they want a police force that represents the population, but i just think this is the police force and i want people who are going to do a good job in protecting me and my country, therefore i want the position given to the people based on how well they'll do there job, not there race

There were a few ethnic minority people calling in outraged by the idea, saying they dont want any favours given to them and want the job on there merit not there ethnicity. Which is also i feel a very good point.

sunnykerr

See, that was gonna be my point. It's not like they need special treatment. They just need equal treatment.

In a way, that's why I'm all for an inclusive policy for recruitement. Obviously fair treatment comes with fair representation.

In the end, I mostly hope that ideas such as this one are signs that the dialogue between different ethnies is ongoing or, if not, opening up.

As to the polling stuff. Well, yeah, viewers of a show generally skew politically the same way as the show they're watching, so polls conducted on those shows are rather pointless.

welshgirlyUK

Well apparently from what they were saying the issue isn't that the tests are more bias towards white people, its that ethnic minorities just aren't applying to be police so this was something they hoped would encourage more ethnic minority groups to apply, which is something i think we all want but i'm just worried that in doing that, will it make white people who want to be police officers more reluctant to apply? And will it mean that possibly people who aren't capable of doing the job are hired?

Jacob1983

Affirmative action is such a hypocritical thing and basically punishes certain people of something they had no involvement in. It also basically makes the white man the bad guy in everything. Being qualified should be placed over what race you are when it comes to being a police officer.
I hate it when jobs say they want diversity. A lot of times I bet that many workplaces place diversity over quality and talent. They just want to be diverse because it makes them look good.

sunnykerr

But, if I understood welshgirlyUK correctly, this isn't so much a case of affirmative action as it is a campaign to get more minorities to apply.

Which I find perfectly justifiable and correct.

Like I said, I don't think minorities in the UK need any favours, but I do think that policies geared towards inclusiveness are positive and, in a way, needed.

That's assuming I understand it correctly.

welshgirlyUK

yep, you understood correctly SunnyKerr.

welshgirlyUK

edit: oops double post

TheAngel

I agree, recruiting minorities means that more will apply, but they should still be hired based upon the same, standard, qualifications to become a police officer. I don't know about in the UK, but in the US we have a police academy and all wanna be police officers must past a selection process and then go through a 23 or so week academy thereby ensuring that training and physical capability at least meets a bottom benchmark. I think that's a good process.

welshgirlyUK

British police officers have to go through a police test, role play exams, interviews and physical testing.

Lexis

I see where they are coming from and I have heard the idea that some communities (particularly the Muslim community) may feel more comfortable with officers that understand their cultural/religious beliefs, especially when we have raids like the one we had in Forest Gate which totally set off a firestorm.

Subject

I agree with that. People tend to be distrustful of police in general adding on the fact that the cop may be of a different race does fuel that. However, they should be based on their ability to do the job.

I don't think that Affirmative action is the right course of action. From what I really know of it affirmative action is meant to give people of minorities the chance to have the same and equal education and jobs as those in the majority. However, when it comes to keeping the public safe they should only base those people on their abilitity to do the job. Nothing else should matter, not race, religion, or sex.