concerns about discrimination at the unit, with some saying their experiences were belittled and ignored. we ve also seen documentation outlining other complaints from people of colour with some raising serious questions about the credibility and true intentions of the programme. the head of the association founded after the inquiry into the racist murder of stephen lawrence says the programme just isn t working. the members that we ve supported have outlined areas where they have been marginalised within the plan. they ve been sidelined. at times they ve almost been gaslit as well around some of the issues, almost saying that black people are sometimes the problem and that they are loud in challenging. before the action plan was launched we spoke to one of the men who was in charge of putting it together. there will be some thinking there is a white man sitting here talking about race, explaining what the problem is, how severe it is, but he hasn t got the understanding that a person
how i lead the programme in future. i m a little bit sceptical but hopeful at the same time. i think it will drive some change but as i said, i think the things that have been outlined in the casey report which completely looked at the culture within the met, our membership would say that s indicative of other police services across the united kingdom and now, for me, what we need to be looking at is fundamental reform rather than action plans thatjust look at tinkering around the edges. these latest allegations paint a picture of a body beset by problems at a time when trust in policing amongst people of colour is a critical issue. abimbola johnson is the chair of the independent scrutiny & oversight board which has helped both develop and challenge the work of the police race action plan. shejoins me now. were you aware of some of these multiple claims? i
things like better admin support, their welfare needs to be considered, they need to be properly respected and listened to. respected and listened to. should the new head respected and listened to. should the new head be respected and listened to. should the new head be a respected and listened to. should the new head be a minority - respected and listened to. shouldj the new head be a minority ethnic officer? it the new head be a minority ethnic officer? , ., , ., ., officer? it should be someone with a roven officer? it should be someone with a proven dedication officer? it should be someone with a proven dedication to officer? it should be someone with a proven dedication to antiracism - proven dedication to antiracism work. if they are someone who isn t a person of colour they have to show that they have acted in a manner that they have acted in a manner that demonstrates that dedication and even if they are a person of colour they need to do that too. we have argued it
but what people remember is the awful tissue necrosis the drug can cause in humans. it s given a grotesque turn to an already devastating human crisis among some of the poorest and most vulnerable in america. let s speak to melanie beddis, director of programmes at savage sisters recovery in philadelphia, who was dependent on this drug and has been clean for two years. caroline copeland is a lecturer in pharmaceutical medicine at king s college london and director of the national programme on substance abuse deaths. melanie, you were dependent on heroin and fentanyl and then your drug supply was contaminated with tranq. tell our audience in the uk what effect it had on your body. so i what effect it had on your body. sr i think the what effect it had on your body. sry i think the most important thing was that. i wasn t aware that i was doing tranq, i didn t know what
drug so it can slow the - and fentanyl? so, it s a sedative drug so it can slow the heart - and fentanyl? so, it s a sedative | drug so it can slow the heart rate and reduce drug so it can slow the heart rate and reduce the breathing rate and if you are and reduce the breathing rate and if you are layering that with other opioids you are layering that with other opioids you re taking at the same time opioids you re taking at the same time it s opioids you re taking at the same time it s increasing the risk of overdose time it s increasing the risk of overdose. is time it s increasing the risk of overdose- time it s increasing the risk of overdose. ., ., ., ., overdose. is there an antidote to tran: ? overdose. is there an antidote to tranq? unfortunately overdose. is there an antidote to tranq? unfortunately not. - overdose. is there an antidote to tranq? unfortunately not. there| overdose. is there an antidote to i tranq? unfortunately not. there is an antidote tranq? u