The Foundation 'Policing for a Multi-Ethnic Society' works in the field of anti- discrimination. It has as goal the promotion, presentation and distribution of the 'Rotterdam Charter' in the European countries. The purpose of this Charter is to identify the different actions that are needed to implement police services in the European multi-ethnic society.
|
 |
Search our website
Newsletter
Rotterdam Charter
Within our society the police are one of the most important organisations entrusted with fighting discrimination and racism. In times of conflict, the police must act to control unstable situations and provide for safety in our society. Police services must meet the needs of all sections of the population and members of all groups must feel they are treated fairly and equitably. All citizens must feel their rights are protected by the police and that their complaints are taken seriously.
Because of this important role of the police in our society and in order to improve and develop police services in a multi-ethnic Europe, RADAR - Rotterdam's Anti-Discrimination Council - the Rotterdam-Rijnmond Police and the Municipality of Rotterdam took the initiative to organise the conference "Policing for a Multi-Ethnic Society; principles, practices and partnership". This conference was held in Rotterdam on 30 May to 1 June 1996. The participants were: police officers, representatives of NGOs and officials from local, national and European authorities of 17 different countries whose important tasks were the discussion and formulation of the Rotterdam Charter.
The Rotterdam Charter is a document that emphasises the need for partnership between the police, NGOs and local authorities, but most importantly it assists police organisations throughout Europe to respond to ethnic diversity in a positive and proactive manner. The Charter sets out the principles on which this response should be based, together with the main actions which are required to turn these principles into a reality. But the police cannot succeed by working on their own. That is why the Rotterdam Charter stresses the need for co-operation and partnership between these different organisations.
The Rotterdam Charter covers five different topics:
- Recruitment and retention;
- Training of police officers;
- The implementation of anti-discrimation law;
- Building bridges between ethnic minorities and police;
- Migrant participation in crime versus police participation in criminalising migrants