Twenty years after Stephen Lawrence was stabbed to death in a racially motivated attack in Eltham, the Met Police's most senior black and minority ethnic officer has spoken out

Neil Basu sits on the management board of the Met and is also the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for counter terrorism.

While he is proud of his position now, back in 1993 when he took his first independent patrol at the London Marathon, he wasn't even sure he would be accepted

"I had no idea, as I watched the crowds enjoying the race, that the catalyst for a profound change in the way we policed London, would happen just 10 days later in a corner of south east London," Mr Basu said.

"A young black man, an aspiring architect called Stephen Lawrence, was brutally murdered in a racist attack in Eltham.

"It was senseless and devastating for the family. Their grief was compounded many times over by our response."

RELATED: Stephen Lawrence to be remembered London Marathon with special marker

Almost 26 years on, he said that while so much good had been done to the Met and UK policing by so many, no police officer has changed the Service as much as Stephen’s parents, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Mr Neville Lawrence.

"They relentlessly held the Met to account for its failings in the investigation of their son’s tragic murder," he added.

"They made sure the inquiry led by Sir William Macpherson took place, and since then they have continued to push for change.

"Few inquiries have received such attention or can claim to have been so transformational by exposing inequalities so familiar to BAME communities – inequalities that exist throughout our society, but were most acutely seen through the lens of policing."

He said this was a heart-breaking time to be a BAME officer.

RELATED: Dartford councillor candidate defends Stephen Lawrence comments

But while the negatives still ring true in the minds of people, he noted how there have been positive outcomes as well.

"Hate crime has been redefined and is now dealt with by well-trained, committed detectives, using standards and expertise borne out of the Racial and Violent Crime Task Force which hunted down racist criminals and murderers," he said.

"Our front line inspectors and sergeants are now trained in critical incident procedures to improve the golden hour of response, and police first responders all now have professional emergency life-saving training.

"We brought in professional training for the senior investigating officers of homicide, and created the profession of family liaison to improve how we supported bereaved families.

"Today we are world-class, perhaps world-leading, in these areas. This professionalism and the standards we now see are a result of a just campaign by the Lawrence family and the officers they inspired to do the right thing.

"But, I must also agree with the Lawrence family that more – much more - still needs to be done."