Gideon's Network

Sharing photos of my work with the Met Police has never been easy. Many of my friends, and even family friends, still carry the deep emotional scars from the hurt the Met has caused them in the past—and with good reason.
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In 2021, after the George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in America. I, along with 11 other community members, was selected by the Met’s Learning & Development team to be part of a new initiative aimed at exploring what true community-led policing could look like. Now, three years later, my understanding of the Met as a service has evolved from almost nothing to a deep, complex awareness. Yet, the emotional weight of that history remains, as does the challenge of reconciling past harm with the hope for meaningful change.
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Our work has grown so much over the years. What began as us training new officers has now expanded to include mid-level sergeants, and even senior sergeants. I know we’re now in discussions about educating borough commanders, which feels like a huge step forward.
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I’ve also had the opportunity to run sessions with the TSG teams—the ones called in during moments of high violence. These conversations are never easy, but then again, meaningful change never is.
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This isn’t a quick fix; it’s going to take years. But I remain hopeful. If the Met continues to truly involve London’s communities in shaping their policies and training, then there’s real hope that our children will have a different experience—one that doesn’t mirror the pain and mistrust that so many of us and those before us have endured.
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