On Tuesday 13th November, more than 250 guests attended at the force headquarters in Enderby to celebrate Leicestershire Police’s 25th Intercultural Evening.
The annual event gives communities access to see what is going on operationally in policing locally across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
Civic and faith leaders from a wide range of religious backgrounds joined many other guests at the event. They had the opportunity to talk to operational officers and staff, Special Constables, Police Cadets, Crimestoppers, the Faith support networks, members of the Diversity and Inclusion Unit and police officers trained in British Sign Language.
The event provided a great opportunity to showcase the specialist services that the force offers to the diverse communities of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, in addition to the role of day to day neighbourhood and response officers.
The event which launched in 1993 is highly regarded by the guests. Chief Constable, Simon Cole QPM, said: “It has been fantastic to have a wide range of communities represented here this evening. Events such as this present us with an important opportunity to speak to members of the public from all across the force area, and from a variety of backgrounds. It allows us to get a feel for what people think we are doing well, and where we can improve.
“These evenings are also brilliant for giving others a perspective of the diversity of the force. We are very lucky to be represented by such a wide variety of diverse communities, all of which help to keep the public in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland safe.”
Among those in attendance was Police and Crime Commissioner, Lord Willy Bach, he said: “We are lucky to live in an area that embraces numerous diverse cultures and communities. This evening illustrated the inclusive approach to diversity across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland and I welcomed the opportunity to speak to people from so many different backgrounds and hear their views on the policing service they receive and expect.
“The event was a huge success and, from the feedback I have received, very worthwhile from everyone’s point of view.”
Lynne Woodward, Head of Equality and Human Rights for Leicestershire Police, said: “This event goes from strength to strength every year. We’ve had yet another fantastic turnout, with more than 250 people coming along. It is a wonderful event which pulls together a number of different communities and allows us to hear various different thoughts and ideas.”
Kaiser Nabola from the African Network, said: “We work with local stakeholders to help them understand African values and culture. This enables stakeholders such as the police to better engage with African communities.”