Making the pledge for Stephen Lawrence

Police officers and young people came together on Stephen Lawrence Day (22 April) to commemorate his life and make a pledge to build a fairer, kinder, and more equitable society.

Senior officers welcomed more than thirty young people to force headquarters in Huntingdon to mark the 30^th anniversary of Stephen’s murder in a racially-motivated attack.

DCC Jayne Gyford and Chief Superintendent Rebecca Tipping welcomed the attendees, before presentations were given on hate crime and the force’s stop and search procedure.

There was also an interactive session giving everyone the opportunity to voice their own opinions on change.

The day concluded with everyone making the pledge to honour Stephen’s life and legacy through positive, tangible actions that will help those from marginalised backgrounds.

Chief Supt Tipping said: “It was brilliant to see so many young people come out and recognise the parts we all have to play in building a brighter future.

“Stephen Lawrence day gives us all an opportunity to reflect on the last 30 years and what more needs to be done both in society and policing to develop a more inclusive culture and influence positive change.

“The force’s Race Action Plan is continuing, alongside our commitment to anti-racism. We have already made good progress through our extensive programme of culture work and this plan is providing us with even greater focus on the long-term goal of achieving an anti-racist police service.”