Black History Month

As October begins, we see the start of Black History Month, which is an important opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the invaluable contributions and experiences of Black people.

Lincolnshire Police’s Chief Constable Chris Haward, who also holds the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) portfolio for Race and Inclusion, said:

“For us in Lincolnshire Police, Black History Month is a time when we can reflect on the past, celebrate progress, open up further dialogue and highlight the enormous value and contribution that Black people bring to policing in this county and in our communities.

“Our SMILE network - Supporting Minorities in Lincolnshire through Engagement - launched officially four years ago and has been key to helping us progress our work in supporting and listening to our Black communities and colleagues as well as other under- represented groups. SMILE prides itself on being an open and forward thinking network, building allyship, enhancing community connections and driving positive change in the organisation where gaps are identified by actively promoting and celebrating diversity in the workplace, whatever form that takes. 

“The consent, support and cooperation of our communities in Lincolnshire is vital to successful and effective policing in the county and we work hard to ensure we are as representative and inclusive as we can be. We have committed to driving Culture by design in force, through our values of being Courageous, Open, Fair and Inclusive and have invested in an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Team to assist us in strengthening our links across Lincolnshire and understanding the needs of our community. We are seeing our renewed friendships with under-presented groups starting to shape how we train our officers and meaningfully interact with our communities.

“It is our privilege to celebrate and mark Black History Month and throughout October we will support activities and share messages focusing on Black History locally and across the world.”