PCSO Steve: The Met's uniformed mascot is said to be 'too male and white'
Posted on 11/19/2007 11:36:42 PM PST by Stoat
PCSO Steve: The Met's uniformed mascot is said to be 'too male and white'
Sir Ian Blair's force is spending £15,000 of public money creating "ethnically diverse" police mascots after one officer complained that the original white male model was alienating women and ethnic minority staff.
Scotland Yard approved the cost for creating a cast of four police figures including an Asian female community support officer called Sunita.
The decision has sparked a public row and led to some officers claiming the move is a result of "overbearing political correctness".
PCSO Steve, a uniformed mascot complete with over-sized head and equipment, was created by the Metropolitan Police for visits to primary schools.
But one of the force's sergeants slammed the character for failing to represent the capital's communities.
He said the figure, which is white with blue eyes and blond hair, risked leaving Asian and women officers feeling "isolated".
The sergeant cited an incident where an Asian colleague was not able to wear the short-sleeved outfit because his arms were darker skinned than the costume.
Now senior officers have said they will invest £15,000 in the design and production of three new characters.
In a written response to questions from the London Assembly, the Commissioner said staff from the force's diversity unit were brought in to help create the costumes.
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No expense spared: Sir Ian Blair has said the new mascots will be more representative of London's population
Sir Ian said: "These characters will be more representative of London's population and the diverse range of police personnel.
"The choice of characters will allow the concept of a Safer Neighbourhoods team to be presented to young children as well as delivering an important message about the different roles of PCSOs and constables."
The original PCSO Steve costume was created in 2005 and is based on real-life Sutton borough police community support officer Stephen King.
Paid for by a £1,000 sponsorship deal with a local plumbing firm, the character proved a huge hit at schools and other public events.
Despite its success, one officer criticised the mascot - sparking a force-wide debate.
In a letter to police in-house magazine The Job published yesterday, one officer said the row could damage relations between the police and the public.
Pc Geoff Parker, who works in Islington, said: "One of the things that is damaging our job and our relations with the community is this constant overbearing political correctness.
"We seem to be taking the issue to the extreme, and pandering to every whim and gripe. We need to take a sensible approach to this and stop over-reacting."
Another officer, Wahab Mohammed, wrote: "Being a dark-skinned Asian myself, I think the so-called problem is pathetic.
"What happened to long-sleeved shirts? This is a very good initiative but you always have to have someone criticising the most minute things.
"Honestly, I'm sure people could spend a bit more time trying to deal with matters that actually affect people. PCSO Steve is a good lad."
The project has now been renamed "Police Pals" and police officer versions of the costumes will also be made.
The 12 new costumes - four for each character - include PCSO Steve, an Asian woman PCSO named Sunita, and a man and a woman police constable. They are expected to be ready early next year.
The £15,000 bill includes £600 in design costs and £14,400 for the creation of four suits for each of the three characters.
Sir Ian has striven to make the Met more ethnically diverse.
In the month he started as Commissioner in February 2005, the Oxford English graduate replaced the phrase "visible ethnic minority" with "minority group".
Last year, he asked his officers to declare whether they are homosexual, a first step to setting up quotas for numbers of gay and lesbian officers.
Doesn't that make you feel SO MUCH SAFER?
Coming soon to your city here in the USA....if it's not there already.
You have to love PC think. s/
Lesbian Hindu police with oversized plastic heads ping
“There’s no England anymore.”
Meet the NEW mascot.
Perfect. I remember hearing that broadcast.
this is beyond ridiculous
Yep it’s around the corner.
Who cares if murder rate are out of control.
It’s so more important to be P.C.!
Can an adult please put a stop on these childish
antics.
Put a sock in it.
This will only be possible if Socialism itself is defeated first.
Socialism thrives on societal discord, as this provides an excuse for more Government.
So, societal discord is exacerbated at every opportunity....by intentionally creating friction between groups of people that would otherwise work together and try to get along in a good-natured way.
Taking an inordinate focus on race, assigning special privileges to certain groups, fanning the flames of victimhood and resentment....this is the heart and soul of Socialism,
The mascot looks like a cartoon caricture.
Far from Male looking.
My-head-is-exploding-bump!
Bingo! Europe is slipping further and further into socialism, and it’s something the left wants in the United States.
I hope they don’t forget the Muslim and transexual police costumes.
Europe slipped into socialism a long time ago. It’s slipping into Islamism right now.
London needs Marshall Dillon and Festus to ride into town and set things right!
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"You spent HOW much money on WHAT? And only because a sworn Lawman got UPSET over skin color? Are you crazy?"
"Danged sissified pantywaists don't deserve to wear a badge"
LMAO!!!
GAKKKK-- what are they made of, sterling silver?
I’ll sell them my design, save them some money!
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