Overview
The Hierarchies of Racism series continues for this academic year with our focus being on Policing. In this series we will speak to high ranking police officers and policing experts in order to gain an insight on the challenges faced by a public service that by its own admission is considered to be institutionally racist. The series will also delve into the measures that have been adopted as an attempt recalibrate this assessment.
Speaker
Colin Burton is a solutions specialist with over 20 years of relevant commercial experience delivering bespoke recruitment/retention/resourcing & tech-based solutions into both the private and public sectors. He has a huge passion for innovation/change and runs his own consultancy business.
Colin also serves as a non-exec for a number of other companies and as a result of his policing work, now acts as a trustee for an extensive list of charities and CIC’s. This all materialised due to a chance encounter just after lockdown where his commercial skills could be utilised with via his home force (Kent Police). Fast forward 3 years and Colin now has direct working relationships with 23 forces and the majority of the police affiliated bodies (Home Office, IPOC, COP, HMICFRS, VRU’s), whilst currently helping to deliver a national campaign on behalf of the NPCC as the National Community Reference Group Chair and Lead.
He is here to share his unique journey, whilst also providing an overview regarding the pending release of the Police Race Action Plan.
Shaun White was born and raised in East London and joined the Metropolitan Police Service in 1995 after spending a few years working in the Banking Industry. He started his policing career at Charing Cross Police Station where he spent several years before joining the Territorial Support Group, policing serious disorder across London.
Shaun rose through the ranks in the Metropolitan Police Service working as Safer Neighbourhood Sergeant in Lambeth as well as the Department of Professional Standards. Following promotion to Detective Inspector, Shaun returned to Lambeth, joining their CID and then their Gangs Task Force. Shaun was successful in joining the Royalty and Specialist Protection Command serving as the Protection Team Leader for a former Prime Minister. After this, Shaun joined the Violent Crime Task Force as a Detective Chief Inspector, responsible for Investigations and Operations. He was then promoted to Temporary Detective Superintendent and posted to Southeast Borough Command Unit, responsible for Investigations.
After 25 years in the Metropolitan Police Service, Shaun joined Kent Police Service as a Detective Superintendent in their Crime Command, leading the response to County Lines and Gangs. He was successful in being promoted to Chief Superintendent and was posted to North Division as a Divisional Commander. After 2 years Shaun was posted as Head of Strategic Prevention Command. He is currently a Strategic Firearms Commander and a Senior Investigating Officer.
Details
This event is open to all and free to attend - please book your place.
Access
This event will take place in the Gatsby Room on the first floor of the Chancellor's Centre. It has step-free access with a lift and there is an accessible toilet located each floor of the building.
REACH Hub
This event is organised by Wolfson's REACH Research Hub, an interdisciplinary meeting place for the promotion and facilitation of culturally diverse research.
