By APAN Newsdesk –

The Police Race Action Plan (PRAP), aimed at transforming police practices with Black communities, was launched across West Yorkshire on November 13, 2023. The districts of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, and Wakefield held their own launch events to announce the initiative.

The Kirklees launch took place at the Brian Jackson Centre in Huddersfield. West Yorkshire Police Chief Constable John Robins and Deputy Mayor Alison Lowe led the event, emphasising their commitment to combating discrimination and institutional racism.

Chief Constable Robins apologised to the Black community for the years of pain caused by institutional racism within the police and public institutions in general. The event included emotional testimonials from community members about police harassment, underscoring the need for the PRAP.

The Police Race Action Plan aims to create an anti-racist police service that is trusted by Black African Caribbean communities. Developed by the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing, it is now being localised by individual districts.

The Ashbrow Parents Advocacy Network (APAN) formed an independent scrutiny panel to work with the Kirklees District Policing Team. The panel are working with Kirklees Police to provide scrutiny, feedback and assessments of the district policing team to shape the local implementation of PRAP.

Chief Inspector Rebecca Calpin of Kirklees Police stated, “We must do far more to build confidence within Black African and Caribbean communities and work together to demonstrate real progress to ensure fair policing.

“Since the initial launch in November, we’ve been working quietly in the background to plan for a local launch that makes sure the community is fully involved in the process.”

“It’s important to us that Black African and Caribbean communities feel both seen and heard, and feel like they have a voice.”

Police Officer Sayed Baharun highlighted, “The Police Race Action Plan (PRAP) relies on capturing local community views. Working with the Ashbrow Parents Advocacy Network shows our commitment to include the community’s voice and build confidence.”

Helen Cudjoe, Vice-Chair of APAN, remarked, “While the initial efforts of Kirklees Police are commendable, we must ensure sustained action, transparency, and genuine collaboration to see tangible improvements in trust and safety for Black communities.”

Dr. Milton Brown, an APAN Scrutiny Panel member, added, “This is an opportunity for true reconciliation and building trust. We must turn mistrust into hope and cooperation, creating a stronger foundation for positive change, more sustained, improved and equitable policing here in Kirklees”.

Community Survey

Your participation is crucial to the success of the Police Race Action Plan. APAN invite community feedback on the PRAP through the survey attached below