Controversial Hiring Practices at West Yorkshire Police
West Yorkshire Police is shaking things up with its recruitment process. It appears that white applicants from British or Eastern European backgrounds aren’t getting the same treatment as their Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic peers. According to The Telegraph, white candidates have to wait for specific recruitment drives, while BAME applicants can apply all year long. This has led to serious claims of positive discrimination.
The police say the change is meant to build a force that mirrors West Yorkshire’s diverse community. But insiders aren’t buying it. One whistleblower spilled the beans to The Telegraph, noting that Black and Asian candidates are tagged as “gold” and get to apply whenever they want, while white applicants are labeled “bronze.”
An internal source explained, “The process restricts progression opportunities for White British candidates, while individuals from other backgrounds are swiftly advanced through recruitment stages.”
The West Yorkshire Police recruitment page makes it clear: “We are currently accepting applications for the two police constable entry programmes (uniform and detective) from people from our under-represented groups… If you are not from one of these groups, please keep checking this page for future recruitment opportunities.”
The police force insists that early applications from ethnic minorities don’t give them any unfair advantage. They maintain that every application is kept on file until a general recruitment window opens. Their aim is to attract talent from all corners of West Yorkshire—a region that is rapidly changing.
The county has seen a major demographic shift over the years with a growing Asian community, mainly from India and Pakistan. The 2021 Census shows that 23.4 percent of West Yorkshire’s residents are non-White, a big jump from 11.4 percent in 2001. Cities like Bradford are even more diverse, where only 61.1 percent of the population is White.
A police spokesperson explained, “The most recent census found that 23 percent of people in West Yorkshire identified as being from an ethnic minority background. Our current police officer representation from ethnic minority backgrounds is around 9 percent. To address this under-representation, we use Positive Action under the Equality Act 2010.
They continued, “Positive Action allows people from under-represented groups who express an interest in joining the force to complete an application, which is then held on file until a recruitment window is opened. No interviews are held until the window is officially opened to all candidates.”
But the whistleblower wasn’t impressed. The claim was that ethnic minority candidates are “shortlisted, sifted, assessed and invited to an interview before White candidates can even apply.”
This controversy raises some hard-hitting questions on fairness and equality in public service recruitment. With such a complex issue right at the intersection of diversity and equal opportunity, it’s clear the debate is far from over.
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