West Midlands Police blamed for 'misleading' list in violent gangs report

Mar 26 2009 by Paul Dale, Birmingham Post

Birmingham’s chief education officer has admitted he did not know in advance that the city council was going to publish a list of more than 80 city schools said to act as recruiting grounds for members of violent gangs.

Tony Howell said the Street Influence document, which caused protests from parents, teachers and politicians, had “escaped my filter” and he blamed West Midlands Police for “inappropriately” adding the list to an old report.

In his first interview since the storm broke, Mr Howell insisted the list gave the “misleading” impression that the schools were associated with criminal activity when there was no evidence to suggest this was the case.

A map showing locations of schools in parts of the city controlled by the Burger Bar Boys and Johnson Crew gangs was simply a geographical statement and did not imply that classrooms were infiltrated by criminals.

Mr Howell, strategic director for children, young people and families, had a problem with the language used by the police. He said: “I wish in the future they would speak to us first. This is part of an issue we have had with the police.At one time they did want to talk about schools sitting in gang-related areas. But if a school is in a neighbourhood connected with gang activity that doesn’t mean the school is connected with gang activity. At one point the police were referring to schools as gang hot spots. But they are not hot spots for gangs, they just happen to be in localities where gangs operate.”