National Black Police Association
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The National Black Police Association (NBPA) is a British police association, founded in November 1998, which seeks to improve the working environment of black and minority ethnic (BME) staff in UK police forces and to enhance racial harmony and the quality of service to the BME communities of the United Kingdom.
The first Black Police Association (BPA) was founded in 1994, as a joint initiative between BME police staff within the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)
This joint initiative raised concerns about the number of black staff who were leaving police forces throughout the UK. A meeting of BME staff from the MPS, known as the Bristol Seminars, led to the formation of a black support network, which formally became the UK's first Black Police Association in September 1994, launched by the MPS Commissioner Sir Paul Condon.
At the launch, Sir Paul Condon said: "I have made it clear where I stand. I see the formation of this Association as the only way forward."
In October 1996, a National Communication Network was formed. This network included BME police staff members throughout the UK, and soon after its formation, members of the network resolved that a national association of BME police staff members should be formed, with the motto "One voice, strength in unity".
In early 1998, four representatives of the National Communication Network met with the Home Secretary, Jack Straw. Three representatives from the Metropolitan Police BPA, Paul Wilson, Leroy Logan MBE, and Bevan Powell, and Ravi Chand from the Bedfordshire Police BPA. From this initial meeting and other meetings between the Home Office and representatives of the National Communications Network, in November 1998, the first interim executive committee of the National Black Police Association was elected to launch the NBPA. The executive committee was comprised of 14 executive members from 12 Constabularies.
