Stevenage | Monday 19 January 2026. O5BM Stevenage through the coordination of our Community Champion Tony Egunjobi, hosted a presentation from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Community Action Team as part of the Police Race Action Plan (PRAP), a national initiative focused on rebuilding trust and confidence between Black communities and the police.
Mo Islam, one of Hertfordshire Police’s Police Race Action Plan Coordinators, who attended alongside Sgt Katie Selby explained that local officers had become aware of O5BM Stevenage through the group’s community presence and then contacted the group’s leadership to request a session with members.
“We can’t do this by ourselves”
Speaking to members during the table tennis session, Mo described PRAP as a response to long-standing concerns that have damaged confidence in policing, including stop and search, use of force, and experiences of racism. He emphasised that progress would require consistent engagement and community involvement.
He also framed PRAP as the first commitment by every Chief Constable to work towards an anti-racist police service, adding that Hertfordshire’s Chief Constable Andy Proffitt has signed up to that commitment locally.
What “anti-racist” means in practice
Mo stressed that being anti-racist is not simply disagreeing with racism, but actively dismantling it through policies, scrutiny, and day-to-day practice. He outlined four priority areas within PRAP, which was shaped by Black community feedback and how they connect to lived experience:
- Culture and workforce: building an inclusive service and improving representation.
- Powers and procedures: fairness in practices such as stop and search and use of force, including community scrutiny of disparities.
- Trust and reconciliation: accountability to Black communities, including engagement with Black youth through a forum that meets regularly.
- Safety and victimisation: improving outcomes for Black victims and fairness across custody and criminal justice processes.
Invitation to community members: Race Inclusion Board
A key part of the session was a direct invitation for community members to join Hertfordshire Police’s Race Inclusion Board, which meets quarterly and is intended to provide independent scrutiny and accountability. Mo noted the next meeting is on 17th March at police headquarters and encouraged interested members to come forward via O5BM’s local leadership.
What success should look like
Closing out, Mo said PRAP success would mean reducing the over-criminalisation of Black people, addressing under-protection, improving the experience of Black officers and staff, and embedding anti-racist principles into everyday policing culture.
