LONDON’S Metropolitan Police have opened a review of the role of officers in schools following legal action that claimed their presence had “disproportionately negative effects” on black and ethnic-minority (BAME) pupils.

The move follows legal action by the family of a black autistic boy who was investigated after becoming involved in a verbal altercation with a safer schools officer (SSO) at his school.

The family alleged that the Met had failed to understand the equalities implications of putting police officers in schools in the capital.

Last month, the High Court granted permission for a judicial review to go ahead later this year. However, the claim was withdrawn after police agreed to launch a review into the impact of SSOs and consider their possible equality implications.

Lawyer Dan Rosenberg, representing the family, had argued that there was a “risk that the presence of police officers in schools may have disproportionality negative consequences” for black and ethnic-minority boys and/or children with special education needs and disabilities, causing them to be drawn into the criminal justice system unnecessarily.”

The family is “delighted” that the Met has agreed to launch a review, he added.

The Met confirmed that the case had been settled. A spokesperson said: “The MPS maintains that Safer Schools Partnerships are enormously beneficial to pupils, schools, and communities. They continue to be an important part of the Met’s work and remain active.”

An estimated 300 SSOs are in schools across London and the capital’s mayor Sadiq Khan has pledged to increase this number to tackle rising knife crime.

However, the deployment of police in schools has been widely criticised.

Kids of Colour and Northern Police Monitoring Project campaigner Roxy Legane said that the continued presence of officers in schools “sends a clear message that some harm is acceptable.”

“We are in the middle of a pandemic,” she told the Morning Star. “If we want to do something right by ethnic-minority young people on their return to school, say ‘no’ to police in schools and invest in mental-health support.”