Officers with Hampshire Police, the force facing intense scrutiny over its handling of the fatal stabbing of Henry Nowak, gave negative responses to a mandatory DEI program, saying they felt “controlled and pressured” during the training.
The force previously held a day-long course titled “Inclusion Matters,” which covered topics such as racism, so-called unconscious bias, and the “importance of being an ally.” The training was commissioned through the University of Reading and completed by approximately 6,250 officers and staff.
According to a report by The Telegraph, 15.5 percent of participants surveyed said they felt “controlled and pressured to be certain ways” during the sessions. Another 14.3 percent said they felt that “if I made a mistake, it would have been held against me”, and nearly 20 percent said, “I felt I would have been rejected for saying the wrong thing.” The university also noted that “some attendees felt that they could not freely share their attitudes.”
The findings come as Nowak’s death has become a viral story internationally, sparking anger among UK citizens and abroad. The teenager was stabbed to death, and body camera footage released showed officers handcuffing Nowak after his attacker, Vickrum Digwa, falsely claimed that Nowak had “racially abused him.” Digwa had a “ceremonial” Sikh blade as well as a dagger when he carried out the stabbing.
Footage showed Nowak repeatedly telling officers he had been stabbed and that he could not breathe. However, they did not immediately offer aid. One even said that he did not believe Nowak.
Alexis Boon, Chief Constable of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, addressed the controversy for the first time, denying allegations of “two-tier policing” and ignoring calls for changing anti-racism guidelines. He claimed a “furore” had been “whipped up” about the murder.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced backlash, including from Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who called on the prime minister to “end this divisive practice of two-tier policing.” Starmer received backlash for being silent on the matter, then eventually publicly acknowledged it, calling it an “awful, shocking case.” Starmer also called for the end to “the horror of knife crime,” but also rejected the proposal to end the legal exemption of the Sikh knife Digwa had when he carried out the murder.
The force previously held a day-long course titled “Inclusion Matters,” which covered topics such as racism, so-called unconscious bias, and the “importance of being an ally.” The training was commissioned through the University of Reading and completed by approximately 6,250 officers and staff.
According to a report by The Telegraph, 15.5 percent of participants surveyed said they felt “controlled and pressured to be certain ways” during the sessions. Another 14.3 percent said they felt that “if I made a mistake, it would have been held against me”, and nearly 20 percent said, “I felt I would have been rejected for saying the wrong thing.” The university also noted that “some attendees felt that they could not freely share their attitudes.”
The findings come as Nowak’s death has become a viral story internationally, sparking anger among UK citizens and abroad. The teenager was stabbed to death, and body camera footage released showed officers handcuffing Nowak after his attacker, Vickrum Digwa, falsely claimed that Nowak had “racially abused him.” Digwa had a “ceremonial” Sikh blade as well as a dagger when he carried out the stabbing.
Footage showed Nowak repeatedly telling officers he had been stabbed and that he could not breathe. However, they did not immediately offer aid. One even said that he did not believe Nowak.
Alexis Boon, Chief Constable of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, addressed the controversy for the first time, denying allegations of “two-tier policing” and ignoring calls for changing anti-racism guidelines. He claimed a “furore” had been “whipped up” about the murder.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced backlash, including from Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who called on the prime minister to “end this divisive practice of two-tier policing.” Starmer received backlash for being silent on the matter, then eventually publicly acknowledged it, calling it an “awful, shocking case.” Starmer also called for the end to “the horror of knife crime,” but also rejected the proposal to end the legal exemption of the Sikh knife Digwa had when he carried out the murder.
