POLICE forces in Wales have vowed to rebuild trust with ethnic minority communities on the 29th anniversary of the death of Stephen Lawrence.  

Stephen Lawrence, an 18-year-old teenager from South-East London, was murdered in an unprovoked racist attack while he was waiting for a bus on the April 22, 1993.  

The mishandled police investigation that followed eventually led to the publication of the Macpherson Report in 1999, which criticised the Metropolitan Police and ruled that the force was institutionally racist. 

The Stephen Lawrence Foundation created the Stephen Lawrence Day as a celebration of his life and legacy. It describes the day, which occurs every year on the April 22, as dedicated to “the part we all play in creating a society where everyone can flourish.”  

“Stephen Lawrence was an innocent teenager and his brutal death sent shockwaves around the world,” said Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent Jeff Cuthbert.  

“It was a catalyst that bought to light the wider institutionalised racism, sexism and homophobia throughout our public services. Because of Stephen policing, and all of our public services, have come a long way since then. But we know we have more work to do.”  

Mr Cuthbert said that Welsh police forces had to work to rebuild the trust of Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority communities.  

“In June, I will take over as chair of Policing in Wales,” he said. “Tackling inequality and discrimination at a Wales-wide level will be a priority for me.”  

Last month, the police and crime commissioner told BBC Wales that it was “unfortunate” that Black people were more likely to be stopped and searched by Welsh police, but insisted that powers were not being used “recklessly.”  

Data released by Cardiff University found that Black people were seven times more likely to be stopped and searched in Wales than white people. 

The use of stop and search by Welsh police forces rose sharply between 2019 and 2020, and the practice has been described as “draining” and emotionally damaging by those who have been targeted by it.

At a recent session of Parliament’s Welsh Affairs Committee, chief officers of all four Welsh police forces denied that policing was institutionally racist, but admitted that there was an element of racial bias to statistical rises in stop and search.  

South Wales Police also released a tweet acknowledging Stephen Lawrence Day and the “changes that the Macpherson report brought to diversity within policing.”  

The force, which pledged to “continue prioritising diversity and inclusion,” has likewise faced scrutiny over the use of force by police against Black people following the death of Mohamud Hassan.

South Wales Police have also been criticised for attempting to infiltrate a local Black Lives Matter group by trying to recruit a Swansea University student as an informant.   

Wales has had its own history of landmark wrongful conviction cases. The Cardiff Three case, which was documented by the BBC in last year’s ‘A Killing in Tiger Bay’, saw five black and mixed-race men arrested and prosecuted for the murder of 20-year-old Lynette White in 1989.  

Three of those, Tony Paris, Yusef Abdullahi and Stephen Miller, were convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, despite the lack of evidence linking them to the crime.  

Their convictions were eventually quashed in December 1992, but the miscarriage of justice left a long legacy of trauma for both them and their families.  

A police corruption probe into the convictions was launched after the real killer was caught in 2002. However, the trial collapsed in 2011 due to missing evidence.  

Despite the improvements in policing brought in by the Macpherson report, problems remain within UK policing.  

The Metropolitan police in particular has been rocked by a series of scandals, with the force recently being found to be “institutionally corrupt” over its handling of the unsolved murder of Welsh private detective Daniel Morgan.   

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin acknowledged that there remains room for improvement in order for police forces to earn the trust of marginalised communities. 

“Today, as we mark Stephen Lawrence Day and the 29 years since his tragic and shocking killing, we remember Stephen’s life, death and legacy and the dignified campaigning work of his family and friends, which have all led to great change for the better right across our country,” he said.  

“Since then, much work has been done to try and improve policing, engagement and representation of different communities right across the UK.”  

“But much remains to be done to ensure our institutions of law and order are as representative of today’s country as possible.”  

North Wales Police came under criticism for its treatment of people in its custody yesterday. A report by an independent police regulator found that the force “often” uses force without justification, including to remove clothing from people in custody.  

The report also found that provisions for people with disabilities was “inconsistent”, with a lack of appropriate support being offered to people with learning disabilities or communication difficulties.