It’s human nature to make assumptions based on our senses. We assume that people are exactly what they appear – we make snap judgements based on how they look. On the other hand, appearances can be deceptive and assumptions can be wrong.
When I was working on a project in South London one of our trainees was sent to a local builders’ merchant with a shopping list of small items that were needed on site. Time passed and we wondered where he had got to and the phone rang. It was the police asking us to verify the identity of our trainee.
After some discussion I was asked to go and actually identify him at the local police station and so I did. Our trainee was sitting in a side room looking pretty sorry for himself and I asked him what had happened. Apparently, he had collected his items and not wanting to shell out 5p for a carrier bag had stowed in various pockets.
A concerned passer-by had called in that a “black lad” was in the High Road with a knife. Which he was – although said knife (a decorator’s paring tool) was actually packed in a bubble pack and was unassembled – so no threat to anyone. Two police officers had turned up and arrested him. The officers presented what was a serious lack of evidence of any wrongdoing whatsoever to the Duty Sergeant back at the Police Station – a situation that was being discussed as I arrived.
A discussion went on between the Sergeant and me as to whether our trainee had actually done anything and if not, could we be on our way. Finally, after some time during which I suggested that I would need to contact the company’s legal department if things were being progressed, the situation was referred to a police inspector who “de arrested” our trainee. Thereby proving I suppose that life can have a rewind facility!
The fact remained however that whatever the paperwork might say, our trainee had been subjected to physical restraint and a deprivation of his liberty and I was not happy about the situation.
How can a young man be carrying out his lawful occupation be manhandled off the street on the basis of an anonymous tip off. This is fundamentally wrong. So, I asked our H.R. Director to enquire into the events leading up to the arrest.
Details of the anonymous call were apparently unavailable and nobody could recall who had received it. Further to that there was no record of any police vehicles being dispatched to attend an incident although there was a patrol vehicle in the area which had contained the two arresting officers.
At a later disciplinary hearing they had admitted that in their opinion the trainee had “looked dodgy”: no admission was ever made that this impression had formed the sole grounds for stopping him but it’s hard to draw any other conclusion.
Writing this blog highlighted to me how important it is for young people to have a support network. For our trainee, because he had the support of his employer with a lot of legal expertise and a preparedness to stand up for him, things worked out for the best. But what if someone does not receive the support that they require? For example, young people in pupil referral units (PRUs)typically feel like people have given up on them due to assumptions and labels placed upon them. Young people in PRUS also feel like they do not receive adequate support in their mainstream school hence them being excluded and sent to a PRU.
At Say it With Your Chest we never give up on anyone and through our tailored programmes we teach skills and strategies to young people and stakeholders to ensure that more young people receive the support that they require.