The head of the Metropolitan police, Sir Mark Rowley, has expressed his concern over the higher likelihood of black boys in London dying by their 18th birthday compared to white boys, calling this situation “shameful.” Speaking on Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Rowley acknowledged the difficult nature of the issue of racial disparity in crime, both among suspects and victims. He pointed to the history of policing and its impact on black communities, acknowledging both past mistakes and ongoing efforts to improve.
Rowley emphasized the legacy of distrust between the police and black communities, which, combined with the higher prevalence of crime affecting these neighborhoods, creates significant challenges. He highlighted that while the overwhelming majority of police officers are good, this legacy of mistrust leads to difficulties in enforcement activities like stop and search. This, in turn, benefits criminals who exploit the situation.
Determined to find a solution, Rowley is focused on improving the relationship between policing and black communities. He believes that by doing this, black boys in London can have equal opportunities as white boys, something not currently observed. Rowley also pointed out that the problem extends beyond policing, noting higher rates of school exclusion for black boys and the near-breakdown of the criminal justice system, which can be frustrating for officers.
Rowley supports proposals by Sir Brian Leveson, made in a recent report on the criminal justice system, including the idea of limiting jury trials to prevent the system from collapse. He cited as an example the situation at Snaresbrook Crown Court, where criminal court trials may be scheduled as far out as 2029, calling this an “unacceptable” delay.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jul/13/shameful-that-black-boys-london-more-likely-die-by-18-met-chief-mark-rowley
