Dear:
Donna Cushing (Plaid Cymru)
Mike Hamilton (Welsh Liberal Democrats)
Hannah Jarvis (Conservative)
Jane Mudd (Labour and Co-operative Party)
We are writing to you as the nominated candidates to become the new Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent Police, asking you to commit to tackling misogyny and racism in the force.
If elected, your role will be to represent the voice of the people and hold the police to account. Trust in the police is at an all-time low, and women are tired of platitudes and empty promises — we all need a PCC who will take action.
We have been working with the family who bravely spoke up about their experiences of living with an abusive police officer, and of the misogyny and racism they found on the mobile phone of former officer Ricky Jones. Their message to you is this -
“As victims of a police perpetrator, and as a family navigating an extensive complaint process and investigation, we felt let down by our PCC. We expected more. The PCC should represent the people, not Gwent Police. We expected our elected PCC to stand with us and support us. We need a new PCC who understands victims and their struggle, as well as someone who will take a new approach, not just for us, but for others who may go through similar situations in the future.”
The message is clear, the people of Gwent need a new PCC with a new approach.
Whilst we welcome the ongoing investigations into officers at the force, this individualised approach will do nothing to uproot the culture of misogyny and racism which allow this type of toxic behaviour to thrive. That’s why we’re writing to you, asking that you face this head on.
Will you commit that if you are elected to serve as Police and Crime Commissioner, you will:
- Commission a full root and branch review of the culture at Gwent Police and make these findings public
- Ask the UK Government to launch a statutory inquiry to specifically investigate racism and misogyny in the force
- Centre the people and communities that are being the most failed in decisions about where we go from here to build a service that actually protects the people of Gwent
We know that eliminating structural racism and misogyny is not a job that can be done overnight, and that it will take enormous effort and commitment to prevent the ongoing failures and injustices in policing.
If elected, you will have the direct power to start building trust between the community and Gwent Police.
Please be bold and take action today.
Hanna Andersen and Nancy Cole, Co-Leaders of Women’s Equality Party Wales
With support from Emma and Sharon Jones*
*Names have been changed