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Metropolitan Police Identikit pictures

01 January 1991

Metropolitan Police Identikit pictures
bacdoc January=1992

Hansard written answer 30.1.89 Col 6

Mr Bernie Grant asked the Secretary of State for the Home
Department (1) whether he will call for a report from the
Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis about the use of a
photograph of Mr. Nigel Benn, the Commonwealth middleweight
boxing champion, by the Metropolitan police in connection with
trying to identify someone who had. committed a criminal act;
(2) whether he will call for a report from the Commissioner
of Police of the Metropolis as to whether there was any racist
motive involved in the release of an identikit picture of Mr.
Nigel Benn;
(3) whether he will set up an immediate inquiry into the
release of an identikit photo of Mr. Nigel Benn; and whether he
will make the findings of the inquiry public.

Mr Douglas Hogg, Minister of State, said that the Metropolitan
police have accepted that the publication of the photograph was
a serious mistake, and have apologised to Mr. Benn. Steps are
being taken to ensure that this regrettable incident does not
recur. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner has already
initiated an urgent enquiry into the circumstances of the case...

Mr. Bernie Grant asked the Secretary of State for the Home
Department on how many occasions photographs of white or black
persons have been used previously by the Metropolitan police to
make up identikit pictures; on what dates this occurred; and what
was the racial breakdown of the persons involved.

Mr. Douglas Hogg replied that: I understand that it is not
normal police practice to use photographs of particular
individuals to make up identikit pictures. Standard identikit
packs, comprising photographs of specific facial features, are
used.