LONDON: London's police force will boost recruits of Black and minority officers and be subjected to closer public scrutiny, the city's mayor said on Friday as he unveiled plans aimed at tackling complaints of racial discrimination.
Black Londoners are more than three times as likely to be stopped and searched by police, official data shows, and the Met Police has faced increased pressure over such disparities since global protests over racism erupted earlier this year.
Under a strategy laid out by Mayor Sadiq Khan, community groups will help establish a Disproportionality Scrutiny Group tasked with looking at how policing affects different communities, and holding police to account over complaints.
The force will also aim to recruit 40% of new officers from Black and minority communities from 2022 in an effort to diversify police ranks, the report announced, as part of a package of measures agreed with police leaders.
"More must be done - and will be done," Khan said in a statement.
"This starts with involving communities and ensuring they have proper oversight and scrutiny of stop and search, the use of Tasers and the use of force, as well as in the training of new police officers," he added.