British police ordered to review anti-racism measures

London mayor Boris Johnson has ordered a review of anti-racism reforms within the Metropolitan Police, it was announced Thursday. It will look at measures put in place as a result of the race and faith inquiry - set up by the mayor in 2008, his office said. Changes under scrutiny include opening top positions to people of diverse backgrounds, even when they have not worked as police constables. The review, to be launched with Met Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe, will report back in the Autumn of 2012. It will also consider a recommendation made by the original inquiry that said it should be easier for members of the force to apply for internal promotions and transfers. Johnson said he wanted the Met to "build better relations with the communities it serves". In a brief statement, he said: "The commissioner and I are in absolute agreement that racism within the Met, whose officers and staff are in a special position of trust, will not be tolerated. "We are committed to driving forward the changes needed to ensure the Met provides an excellent level of service to the entire community." Hogan-Howe agreed that the force was committed to stamping out discrimination. In a separate statement, he said: "I have made it clear that I will not tolerate racism and we will deal with it robustly wherever it occurs." London has become one of the major world capitals with large multi-race and multi-ethnic communities. However, there are serious complaints from various groups of police anti-racist behaviour in many cases.