POLICE DIVERSITY


LEADING BY EXAMPLE


Detective Inspector Javid Rana was inspired to join the police by a minority group officer. Now the SSA of Chairs, his policy of greater diversity aims to strengthen trust among communities and new recruits. By Anthony Grech-Cumbo


There exists a far- and wide-reaching variety of Diversity Staff Support Networks within policing. Each police service has a unique combination of different communities represented by their officers and by police staff, and the particular concerns of these communities are expressed by their representative network within policing and the wider public. It is of course no surprise that the largest number of these exists within the Met,


28 | POLICE | APRIL 2023


our largest police service, with 22 in total, though within the Met these are referred to as Staff Support Associations (SSA). With so many SSAs existing in one


“With so many SSAs existing in one service... this can lead to unnecessary competition for resources and to get a message heard”


service, it is understandable that this can lead to unnecessary competition for resources and to get a message heard.


This is why the role of Chair of Chairs is so important; the position exists to co- ordinate messages and events between the different SSAs. The incumbent, Detective Inspector Javid Rana, has been in the role since 2019 and we spoke with him to understand better the responsibilities of the role and the work of the different SSAs.


From the very start of his policing


career Javid has been concerned with the representation of minority and


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