Police institutional racism
Absence of a consensus framework for measuring and assessing institutional racism within individual police forces.
230 items
8 sources
3 inquiries
Source spread
Where this theme appears
Police institutional racism has been flagged across 8 independent accountability sources:
35 inquiry recs
2 PFD reports
128 committee recs
1 HMICFRS rec
8 IOPC recs
41 IMB recs
8 detention investigation recs
7 LGO/SPSO decisions
When the same issue appears across inquiries, coroner reports, and regulators independently, it indicates a recurring issue across the public record.
Browse by source
Source-grouped records are useful for tracing where a concern came from. Large sections show the 50 strongest matches for that source; counts still show the full theme total.
Inquiry Recommendations (35)
MACP-57 — Ensure racist acts by police officers lead to disciplinary proceedings and dismissal
Recommendation: That the Police Services should through the implementation of a Code of Conduct or otherwise ensure that racist words or acts proved to have been spoken or done by police officers should lead to disciplinary proceedings, and that it should …
Unknown
MACP-50 — Conduct local police racism awareness training involving minority ethnic communities
Recommendation: That police training and practical experience in the field of racism awareness and valuing cultural diversity should regularly be conducted at local level. And that it should be recognised that local minority ethnic communities should be involved in such training …
Unknown
MACP-49 — Train all police officers and staff in racism awareness and cultural diversity
Recommendation: That all police officers, including CID and civilian staff, should be trained in racism awareness and valuing cultural diversity.
Unknown
MACP-48 — Review and revise police racism awareness training for consistent cultural diversity strategy
Recommendation: That there should be an immediate review and revision of racism awareness training within Police Services to ensure:- a. that there exists a consistent strategy to deliver appropriate training within all Police Services, based upon the value of our cultural …
Unknown
MACP-66 — Require HMIC to inspect and report on police minority ethnic staff progress
Recommendation: That HMIC include in any regular inspection or in a thematic inspection a report on the progress made by Police Services in recruitment, progression and retention of minority ethnic staff.
Unknown
MACP-65 — Facilitate initiatives to increase qualified minority ethnic recruits in police services
Recommendation: That the Home Office and Police Services should facilitate the development of initiatives to increase the number of qualified minority ethnic recruits.
Unknown
MACP-53 — Implement independent and regular monitoring of all Police Service training
Recommendation: That there should be independent and regular monitoring of training within all Police Services to test both implementation and achievement of such training.
Unknown
MACP-52 — Home Office and Police Services publish racism awareness training standards and objectives
Recommendation: That the Home Office together with Police Services should publish recognised standards of training aims and objectives in the field of racism awareness and valuing cultural diversity.
Unknown
MACP-13 — Understand "racist incident" includes crimes and non-crimes, investigated with equal commitment
Recommendation: That the term "racist incident" must be understood to include crimes and non-crimes in policing terms. Both must be reported, recorded and investigated with equal commitment.
Unknown
MACP-11 — Apply Race Relations legislation to all police; make Chief Officers vicariously liable
Recommendation: That the full force of the Race Relations legislation should apply to all police officers, and that Chief Officers of Police should be made vicariously liable for the acts and omissions of their officers relevant to that legislation.
Unknown
MACP-8 — Empower HMIC to use lay inspectors for racist crime investigation inspections
Recommendation: That HMIC shall be empowered to recruit and to use lay inspectors in order to conduct examination and inspection of Police Services particularly in connection with performance in the area of investigation of racist crime.
Unknown
MACP-7 — Ensure police authority membership reflects the community's cultural and ethnic mix
Recommendation: That the Home Secretary and Police Authorities should seek to ensure that the membership of police authorities reflects so far as possible the cultural and ethnic mix of the communities which those authorities serve.
Unknown
MACP-1 — Establish Ministerial Priority for police to increase trust among minority ethnic communities
Recommendation: That a Ministerial Priority be established for all Police Services: "To increase trust and confidence in policing amongst minority ethnic communities".
Unknown
ANG-14 — Public commitment to anti-sexist anti-racist organisation
Recommendation: With immediate effect, every police force should commit publicly to being an anti-sexist, anti-misogynistic, anti-racist organisation in order to address, understand and eradicate sexism, racism and misogyny, contributing to a wider positive culture to remove all forms of discrimination from …
Gov response: Home Secretary James Cleverly said: "The act of pure evil committed against Sarah shocked the nation to its core. My heart goes out to Sarah's family and to all the brave victims who came forward …
Accepted
In progress
MACP-64 — Require policing plans to include targets for minority ethnic staff recruitment and retention
Recommendation: That the Home Secretary and Police Authorities' policing plans should include targets for recruitment, progression and retention of minority ethnic staff. Police Authorities to report progress to the Home Secretary annually. Such reports to be published.
Unknown
MACP-54 — Review racism awareness training in local government and criminal justice agencies
Recommendation: That consideration be given to a review of the provision of training in racism awareness and valuing cultural diversity in local Government and other agencies including other sections of the Criminal Justice system.
Unknown
MACP-24 — Include racism awareness and cultural diversity training for Family Liaison Officers
Recommendation: That training of Family Liaison Officers must include training in racism awareness and cultural diversity, so that families are treated appropriately, professionally, with respect and according to their needs.
Unknown
MACP-18 — Review ACPO Good Practice Guide; produce manual for racist incident investigations
Recommendation: That ACPO, in consultation with local Government and other relevant agencies, should review its Good Practice Guide for Police Response to Racial Incidents in the light of this Report and our Recommendations. Consideration should be given to the production by …
Unknown
MACP-17 — Ensure close co-operation and information sharing on racist incidents among agencies
Recommendation: That there should be close co-operation between Police Services and local Government and other agencies, including in particular Housing and Education Departments, to ensure that all information as to racist incidents and crimes is shared and is readily available to …
Unknown
MACP-16 — Encourage reporting racist incidents and crimes, offering non-police station and 24/7 access
Recommendation: That all possible steps should be taken by Police Services at local level in consultation with local Government and other agencies and local communities to encourage the reporting of racist incidents and crimes. This should include: - the ability to …
Unknown
MACP-15 — Establish Home Office Codes of Practice for reporting and recording racist incidents/crimes
Recommendation: That Codes of Practice be established by the Home Office, in consultation with Police Services, local Government and relevant agencies, to create a comprehensive system of reporting and recording of all racist incidents and crimes.
Unknown
MACP-14 — Universally adopt racist incident definition across police, local government, and agencies
Recommendation: That this definition should be universally adopted by the Police, local Government and other relevant agencies.
Unknown
MACP-12 — Adopt definition: "racist incident is perceived as racist by victim or witness
Recommendation: That the definition should be: "A racist incident is any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person".
Unknown
MACP-2 — Include performance indicators for monitoring Ministerial Priority on racist incidents
Recommendation: The process of implementing, monitoring and assessing the Ministerial Priority should include Performance Indicators in relation to: i. the existence and application of strategies for the prevention, recording, investigation and prosecution of racist incidents; ii. measures to encourage reporting of …
Unknown
DM-12 — Resources for tackling police corruption
Recommendation: The Metropolitan Police must ensure that the necessary resources are allocated to the task of tackling corrupt behaviour among its officers. Without proper resources there can be no effective fight against corruption. Since the Independent Office for Police Conduct has …
Gov response: For 2023/24, the MPS will receive up to £3.3bn via the police funding settlement, an increase of up to £102.3m when compared with 2022/23. In addition, the MPS faces increased demands on resources from policing …
Accepted
DM-15 — Regular security clearance updates for police
Recommendation: Security clearance processes for police officers and police staff are fundamental to any anti-corruption strategy. Regular updating of the security status of each individual is essential to identify any concerns and to enable action to be taken in respect of …
Gov response: Police forces carry out their vetting in line with the College of Policing's statutory code of practice on vetting and its APP on vetting. The College is currently in the process of updating its statutory …
Accepted
No update 2+ yrs
DM-14 — Register membership of organisations like Freemasons
Recommendation: All police officers and police staff should be obliged to register in confidence with the Chief Officer of their police force, at either their point of recruitment to the police force or at any point subsequent to their recruitment, their …
Gov response: There were concerns about Freemasonry, and the potential for conflicts of loyalty among Freemasons who were also police officers, in the initial investigations. The report itself accepted that membership of the Freemasons was not a …
Accepted in Part
DM-13 — HMICFRS review of whistleblower protections
Recommendation: It is recommended that Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services conduct a thematic investigation of the operation of the practices and procedures introduced following the adoption of the Code of Ethics in 2014 to determine whether …
Gov response: The College of Policing's Code of Ethics is a hugely significant document in policing and applies to everyone working in the policing profession. The Code of Ethics, first published in 2014, aims to deliver a …
Accepted
No update 2+ yrs
DM-11 — IPCO inspections of informant policies
Recommendation: The Panel is concerned that the policies and procedures relating to the use of informants by law enforcement agencies still allow scope for corrupt practices, and it recommends that the Investigatory Powers Commissioner takes this into consideration during inspections.
Gov response: The Investigatory Powers Commissioner's Office (IPCO) independently oversees the use of these powers and conducts annual inspections to ensure compliance by law enforcement agencies. Experienced inspectors will also carry out further ad hoc inspections as …
Accepted
No update 2+ yrs
MACP-70 — Implement community initiatives promoting cultural diversity and addressing racism across agencies
Recommendation: That in creating strategies under the provisions of the Crime & Disorder Act or otherwise Police Services, local Government and relevant agencies should specifically consider implementing community and local initiatives aimed at promoting cultural diversity and addressing racism and the …
Unknown
MACP-69 — Require OFSTED inspections to examine school anti-racism strategy implementation
Recommendation: That OFSTED inspections include examination of the implementation of such strategies.
Unknown
MACP-68 — Require schools to implement anti-racism strategies, record and publish racist incidents
Recommendation: That Local Education Authorities and school Governors have the duty to create and implement strategies in their schools to prevent and address racism. Such strategies to include: that schools record all racist incidents; that all recorded incidents are reported to …
Unknown
MACP-67 — Amend National Curriculum to value cultural diversity and prevent racism
Recommendation: That consideration be given to amendment of the National Curriculum aimed at valuing cultural diversity and preventing racism, in order better to reflect the needs of a diverse society.
Unknown
MACP-28 — Proactively use local minority ethnic contacts for family liaison assistance.
Recommendation: That Police Services and Victim Support Services ensure that their systems provide for the pro-active use of local contacts within minority ethnic communities to assist with family liaison where appropriate.
Unknown
ANG-9 — Improve vetting decision-making quality and consistency
Recommendation: By March 2025, the College of Policing, in collaboration with force vetting units, should take steps to improve the quality and consistency of police vetting decision-making. This should include encouraging the use of greater professional rigour and curiosity when investigating …
Gov response: Home Secretary James Cleverly said: "The act of pure evil committed against Sarah shocked the nation to its core. My heart goes out to Sarah's family and to all the brave victims who came forward …
Accepted
In progress
PFD Reports (2)
Arsema Dawit
Concerns: Police investigation suffered from premature offence classification, misleading record entries, and inadequate supervision of action plans. There was also a gap in domestic violence reporting for non-adults and a reluctance to use interpreting services.
Response (Metropolitan Police Service): The Metropolitan Police Service has made improvements in training and reference materials for staff, investigator accreditation & quality assurance, supervision, and provision of support resources; it has broadened the function …
Responded
Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor
Concerns: Police investigations were marred by a significant number of "very serious and very basic investigative failings," including a profound lack of curiosity and errors, with terrible consequences.
Response (NPCC and College of Policing): The NPCC and College of Policing outline actions taken, including updating the Death Investigation Manual and associated training to emphasize treating deaths as suspicious until proven otherwise. They have also …
Response (DCMS): DCMS states that the Online Safety Bill will place new requirements on companies in relation to illegal content and anonymity online and services will have to identify, mitigate and effectively …
Response (Metropolitan Police Service): The Metropolitan Police Service has updated its Death Investigation Policy to emphasize treating deaths as suspicious until proven otherwise and is providing refresher training to detectives. The CONNECT Investigation platform, …
Responded
Committee Recommendations (128) — showing 50 strongest matches
#77 — BME police organisations consistently report ongoing experience of institutional racism in forces.
Recommendation: Firstly, we take extremely seriously the views of Black and minority ethnic police organisations who repeatedly told us that they continue to experience and bear witness to institutional racism in our police forces today, and believe that this testimony alone …
Gov response: The Macpherson Report left an indelible mark on policing. Over the past two decades, since the report’s publication, significant progress has been made to address Sir William Macpherson’s findings. As a result, the way the …
Under Consideration
#46 — Professional Standards Departments lack BME representation and face institutional racism perceptions.
Recommendation: Police forces must act swiftly to address perceptions that Professional Standards Departments are marked by institutionally racist practices. In addition, forces must address unacceptable racial disproportionality in their composition: it is totally unacceptable that 63% of all Professional Standards Departments …
Gov response: The Home Office welcomes the work of the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing in developing a new Race Action Plan for policing to address the issues of disproportionality in the police …
Partially Accepted
#15 — Resource Professional Standards Departments properly and address BME staffing disparity urgently
Recommendation: PSDs should be properly resourced to ensure complaint and conduct matters are handled to a high standard and in a timely manner. We repeat the recommendations made in our Macpherson report to address urgently the disparity in BME staffing in …
Gov response: The Home Office and the NPCC recognise the risk of a lack of appropriate representation within a number of PSDs and we must not be complacent. Whilst this is not an issue unique to PSDs, …
Partially Accepted
#9 — Mandate regional mayors to lead awareness and trust-building for anti-Muslim hate reporting services.
Recommendation: Given reforms to the provision of local services, including the proposed abolition of police and crime commissioners, we recommend regional mayors take a lead role in working with community organisations to raise awareness of the reporting service, to build trust …
Gov response: 34. We recognise the valuable role that Mayors can play in working with local partners to address issues that affect their communities, including those highlighted in the Report. Under the English Devolution and Community Empowerment …
No Published Response
#8 — Third-party reporting mechanisms for anti-Muslim hatred are vital and require inclusivity.
Recommendation: We welcome the Government’s introduction of a new fund to support a third-party reporting mechanism for victims of anti-Muslim hatred. Such mechanisms can play a vital role in enabling individuals to report hate crimes, particularly in cases where mistrust of …
No Published Response
#6 — Ensure police training on recognising and recording intersectional hate crimes against Muslim women.
Recommendation: The Government should take steps to ensure that police officers are appropriately trained on how to recognise, record, and respond effectively to hate crimes perpetrated against Muslim women. The Government should work with the police to ensure that both the …
Gov response: 27. The Committee asked that Government ensure police officers are appropriately trained to effectively deal with hate crimes targeted at Muslim women. The Government recognises the importance of ensuring officers are appropriately trained to recognise, …
No Published Response
#79 — Police and government demonstrate systematic failure to eliminate race inequality in policing.
Recommendation: We recognise that the devolved nature of policing means that there are variations in policies, cultures and outcomes between individual forces and institutions. However, based on the evidence we have received, we believe that whilst there have been improvements in …
Gov response: The Macpherson Report left an indelible mark on policing. Over the past two decades, since the report’s publication, significant progress has been made to address Sir William Macpherson’s findings. As a result, the way the …
Accepted
#75 — Persistent, deep-rooted racial disparities in policing indicate structural problems for BME groups.
Recommendation: But our inquiry has also found that despite many years of commitments being made to race equality by the police service and the Home Office, there are still persistent, deep rooted and unjustified racial disparities in key areas. The failure …
Gov response: The Macpherson Report left an indelible mark on policing. Over the past two decades, since the report’s publication, significant progress has been made to address Sir William Macpherson’s findings. As a result, the way the …
Under Consideration
#49 — No adequate justification exists for racial disproportionality in stop and search, especially for drugs.
Recommendation: No evidence to this inquiry has adequately explained or justified the nature and scale of the disproportionality in the use of stop and search powers. This is especially the case for searches for the possession of drugs where evidence shows …
Gov response: The Government supports the police in their use of stop and search to tackle serious violence. That is why we have empowered over 9,000 more officers to authorise stop and search powers by piloting relaxation …
Under Consideration
#47 — Racial disproportionality in stop and search is worse now than Macpherson found.
Recommendation: Twenty-two years on from the publication of the Macpherson report there remains a serious problem with racial disproportionality in stop and search. Black people are over nine and a half times more likely to be stopped and searched than White …
Gov response: The Government supports the police in their use of stop and search to tackle serious violence. That is why we have empowered over 9,000 more officers to authorise stop and search powers by piloting relaxation …
Under Consideration
#44 — Police forces' inconsistent data collection obscures ethnic disparity in misconduct cases.
Recommendation: It is completely unacceptable that forces’ data on ethnic disparity in police misconduct has been inconsistent and incomplete to the point where it cannot be understood or acted upon. We are appalled that it has not been possible for us …
Gov response: The Home Office welcomes the work of the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing in developing a new Race Action Plan for policing to address the issues of disproportionality in the police …
Accepted
#43 — Racial disparity in police officer dismissals and disciplinary processes remains persistent.
Recommendation: There is clear racial disparity in the number of officers being dismissed from police forces—BME officers are more than twice as likely to be dismissed as White officers— and in the number of BME officers and staff being subjected to …
Gov response: The Home Office welcomes the work of the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing in developing a new Race Action Plan for policing to address the issues of disproportionality in the police …
Accepted
#39 — Require Home Secretary to use powers against forces failing representative recruitment targets after two years.
Recommendation: The Home Secretary has powers in legislation to require HMICFRS inspections where there are concerns about force operational performance on particular matters, and to require specified measures in the face of persistent failings. Given the importance of representative recruitment to …
Gov response: The Government and the policing sector both have a role to play to ensure that racism stays out of policing. Much is already being done to provide ongoing scrutiny over the sector’s performance and how …
Accepted
#38 — Representative recruitment must be a key legitimacy measure in HMICFRS inspections.
Recommendation: Progress against local targets must be assessed regularly by the Home Secretary, acting through the National Policing Board. We welcome the commitment made by HMICFRS to include recruitment in their inspections on disproportionality. Representative recruitment must be treated as a …
Gov response: The Government and the policing sector both have a role to play to ensure that racism stays out of policing. Much is already being done to provide ongoing scrutiny over the sector’s performance and how …
Accepted
#36 — Chief officers should be held accountable for using positive action to achieve recruitment targets.
Recommendation: The evidence from forces which do use a positive action approach demonstrates that forces should be able to achieve their targets using tried and tested positive action measures. Given the success these forces have had, we believe that chief officer …
Gov response: Police forces should be striving to become more representative of the communities they serve. The policing sector recognises the long-standing challenge that recruiting a more diverse and representative police service presents and has made this …
Accepted
#35 — Many police forces underutilised positive action provisions for BME recruitment.
Recommendation: All forces must do far more to use the positive action provisions of the Equality Act 2010 to develop targeted recruitment campaigns, mentoring and support. Some forces have used those provisions very effectively to increase BME recruitment significantly in a …
Gov response: Police forces should be striving to become more representative of the communities they serve. The policing sector recognises the long-standing challenge that recruiting a more diverse and representative police service presents and has made this …
Accepted
#34 — Require APCC to facilitate shared learning on race equality in police recruitment.
Recommendation: We recommend that the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners works with Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to enable force level comparison, and shared learning from different PCCs’ approaches to addressing race equality in recruitment to the police service.
Gov response: Police forces should be striving to become more representative of the communities they serve. The policing sector recognises the long-standing challenge that recruiting a more diverse and representative police service presents and has made this …
Not Addressed
#8 — Increasing Black community trust in policing not considered a Ministerial or policing priority
Recommendation: The Macpherson report in its first recommendation called for a Ministerial Priority for all police services to “increase trust and confidence in policing amongst minority ethnic communities”. For the Macpherson report, the setting of a “Ministerial Priority” had a particular …
Gov response: As at 31 March 2021, 67.5% of forces had some ethnic minority representation within their PSDs. As at 31 March 2021, there were 113 full time equivalent police officers working under the Professional Standards subfunction …
Under Consideration
#7 — Police forces and Home Office failing to collect local ethnic confidence data or plan effectively
Recommendation: Given the seriousness of the issue we are particularly alarmed by the failure of police forces and the Home Office to have proper plans in place to address the confidence gap, or even to be gathering the basic evidence and …
Gov response: The Government welcomes the progress made by the NPCC through the work of former Deputy Chief Constable Phil Cain and Chief Constable Craig Guildford. Their reports highlight both the positive work undertaken by forces to …
Under Consideration
#6 — Significant confidence and fairness gap for Black communities persists for over two decades
Recommendation: Overall the majority of people from all communities still report confidence in their local police. However, there is no getting away from the significant confidence and fairness gap for Black communities. The fact that this persists twenty-two years after the …
Gov response: In July 2019, the Home Secretary set up the National Policing Board to bring partners together to provide strategic direction and strong national grip over the law enforcement system. The Board is chaired by the …
Accepted
#5 — Black communities, particularly youth, expect less fair and respectful treatment from police
Recommendation: Fairness, respect and impartiality are core values that should be fundamental to policing. So the fact that Black people, and especially Black Caribbean people, have much lower expectations than White people that they will be treated fairly and with respect …
Gov response: The Government has been clear that police forces should be using the positive action provisions of the Equality Act 2010 to increase representation in policing. The College issued updated guidance on this in March 2020. …
Accepted
#4 — Confidence in police significantly declining among Black and Mixed ethnicity communities
Recommendation: Evidence to our inquiry shows that there is a significant problem with confidence in the police within Black communities. We were very concerned to see that confidence in the police among Black people has fallen in recent years and the …
Gov response: Police forces should be striving to become more representative of the communities they serve. The policing sector recognises the long-standing challenge that recruiting a more diverse and representative police service presents and has made this …
Accepted
#14 — Insufficient focus on professional standards department staffing, culture, and diversity representation
Recommendation: Evidence to our inquiry suggests that insufficient focus is given to the staffing and operation of some professional standards departments including their culture, transparency and ethnic diversity representation.
Gov response: The Home Office and the NPCC recognise the risk of a lack of appropriate representation within a number of PSDs and we must not be complacent. Whilst this is not an issue unique to PSDs, …
Under Consideration
#98 — Establish a statutory Race Equality Commissioner for independent policing scrutiny and reporting.
Recommendation: We recommend that, in place of the oversight board, a new Race Equality Commissioner for policing is established to provide ongoing scrutiny, including analysis and advice on policing policy, tools and procedures that are likely (or have been shown) to …
Gov response: The Government and the policing sector both have a role to play to ensure that racism stays out of policing. Much is already being done to provide ongoing scrutiny over the sector’s performance and how …
Not Accepted
#97 — Policing requires strengthened and broadened independent oversight for race equality progress.
Recommendation: In addition to the steering group, we believe it is so important to ensure that progress is sustained that further independent dedicated oversight on race equality in the police service in England and Wales is needed. Commitments to address issues …
Gov response: The Government and the policing sector both have a role to play to ensure that racism stays out of policing. Much is already being done to provide ongoing scrutiny over the sector’s performance and how …
Not Accepted
#96 — Establish and chair a Race Equality Steering Group to oversee policing race equality progress and accountability.
Recommendation: The Home Secretary should establish and chair, under the aegis of the National Policing Board, a Race Equality Steering Group. The Home Secretary should have oversight of progress in addressing race equality across the 43 police forces, including the implementation …
Gov response: The Government and the policing sector both have a role to play to ensure that racism stays out of policing. Much is already being done to provide ongoing scrutiny over the sector’s performance and how …
Not Accepted
#95 — Home Office withdrawal fragmented policing's race equality efforts, lacking leadership and accountability.
Recommendation: Furthermore the withdrawal of the Home Office from an active role in policing has been responsible for fragmentation and a lack of wholesale ownership in addressing race equality issues. While we acknowledge the devolved nature of policing, the Home Office …
Gov response: The Government and the policing sector both have a role to play to ensure that racism stays out of policing. Much is already being done to provide ongoing scrutiny over the sector’s performance and how …
Accepted
#94 — National policing lacks robust, resourced independent oversight for race equality progress.
Recommendation: Since the Stephen Lawrence Steering Group was disbanded in 2005, there has been no national focus on achieving the aims of the Macpherson report to eliminate “racist prejudice and disadvantage and the demonstration of fairness in all aspects of policing”. …
Gov response: The Government and the policing sector both have a role to play to ensure that racism stays out of policing. Much is already being done to provide ongoing scrutiny over the sector’s performance and how …
Not Accepted
#93 — Policing's current race equality accountability system remains fragmented and ineffective.
Recommendation: The current system for delivery and accountability on race equality within policing is not working. While there are some opportunities for ensuring accountability within the police service, our evidence indicates that these processes are far too fragmented and rarely exercised …
Gov response: The Government and the policing sector both have a role to play to ensure that racism stays out of policing. Much is already being done to provide ongoing scrutiny over the sector’s performance and how …
Accepted
#92 — Discontinuation of HMICFRS thematic race reviews hinders urgent scrutiny of policing
Recommendation: However, it has been far too long since the inspectorate conducted a thematic review on race. There is an urgent need for HMICFRS to address race directly in its inspections. HMICFRS should always include specific questions about race and the …
Under Consideration
#90 — IOPC previously complacent on race, now commits to focused discrimination review
Recommendation: Evidence given to this inquiry indicates that the IOPC (and the IPCC before it) has been too complacent on matters of race, and specifically has not worked to collate data consistently (see chapter five). We welcome the IOPC’s announcement, in …
Under Consideration
#87 — Isolated police forces impede national progress in tackling race disparities
Recommendation: Police forces also need to recognise the importance of coordinated national work to address unjustified race disparities and tackle racism. Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners should support work by the NPCC and APCC to establish national strategies and …
Gov response: The Home Office will continue to work with bodies such as the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) to consider how best to support forces in collating …
Accepted
#86 — Lack of widespread local community oversight hinders racial disparity progress
Recommendation: The lack of widespread local scrutiny and oversight mechanisms involving different communities means that, too often, impetus to make progress is left to individual Chief Constables and PCCs, without improvements being made across the board or processes to ensure the …
Gov response: Inclusive Britain sets out the Government’s commitment to look carefully at strengthening the system of local community scrutiny of police decision-making, such as use of stop and search, and the value and use of body-worn …
Accepted
#85 — Patchy national progress on race equality due to varied local approaches
Recommendation: The wide variation among forces in the approaches taken and outcomes achieved on specific issues in relation to race equality is a matter of serious concern. Whilst we welcome the good practice of forces that have chosen to innovate on …
Gov response: The Macpherson Report left an indelible mark on policing. Over the past two decades, since the report’s publication, significant progress has been made to address Sir William Macpherson’s findings. As a result, the way the …
Accepted
#84 — Police forces and PCCs show insufficient progress on key race equality areas
Recommendation: Twenty-two years on, police forces need to take responsibility for the lack of progress in vital areas raised by the Macpherson report. Individual forces and Chief Constables have considerable scope within their own organisations and communities to increase BME recruitment, …
Gov response: The Macpherson Report left an indelible mark on policing. Over the past two decades, since the report’s publication, significant progress has been made to address Sir William Macpherson’s findings. As a result, the way the …
Accepted
#82 — Police forces must strengthen race inequality approach by adopting 'explain or change' model.
Recommendation: Fourthly, police forces must strengthen their approach to tackling the systemic problems of race inequality that we have identified. Forces should adopt the approach set out in the David Lammy review of the Criminal Justice System: explain or change. That …
Gov response: All communities should have confidence in the police. The police’s ability to fulfil its duties is dependent on its capacity to secure and maintain public trust and support for their actions, as part of the …
Under Consideration
#81 — Require the EHRC to determine a framework for assessing institutional racism in police forces.
Recommendation: We believe that it would therefore be helpful to build consensus around a framework for measuring and assessing institutional racism within individual organisations, using the approach Wendy Williams applied in her consideration of the operations of the Home Office as …
Under Consideration
#80 — Macpherson's concept of institutional racism remains vital for accountability over inequalities.
Recommendation: Thirdly, we note the different approaches to assessing “institutional racism”—the description in the Macpherson report, the six tests developed by Wendy Williams, the criteria proposed by the Sewell Commission, and the approach to assessing and tackling discrimination and racism within …
Gov response: The Macpherson Report left an indelible mark on policing. Over the past two decades, since the report’s publication, significant progress has been made to address Sir William Macpherson’s findings. As a result, the way the …
Not Addressed
#78 — Impetus for change from Stephen Lawrence Inquiry not sustained across all policing areas.
Recommendation: Secondly, the evidence we have gathered shows that the impetus for change from the “clarion call” of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry has not been sustained. In 1999 the House of Commons was told by the then Home Secretary that the …
Gov response: The Macpherson Report left an indelible mark on policing. Over the past two decades, since the report’s publication, significant progress has been made to address Sir William Macpherson’s findings. As a result, the way the …
Accepted
#73 — Policing has not adequately fulfilled responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010.
Recommendation: The Public Sector Equality Duty and the Equality Act 2010 are a part of the legacy of the Macpherson Report’s important work on institutional racism, as they build on the race equality duty that was introduced in response to the …
Gov response: The Macpherson Report left an indelible mark on policing. Over the past two decades, since the report’s publication, significant progress has been made to address Sir William Macpherson’s findings. As a result, the way the …
Under Consideration
#72 — Police leaders must set example through anti-racism training and confronting unfair behaviour.
Recommendation: It is essential also for leaders to set an example by undertaking this anti-racism training, shaping the organisational culture of their forces, confronting unfair behaviour among officers and addressing structures that disadvantage and discriminate.
Gov response: The College and police forces are responsible for developing and delivering quality training that meets the varied needs of police officers and staff to ensure that they can best engage with, support and protect our …
Under Consideration
#71 — Mandate comprehensive review and overhaul of police anti-racism training by College of Policing.
Recommendation: We would like to see consistency in the quality and content of training delivered at a local and service wide level. To this end we recommend a comprehensive review and overhaul of training on racism, diversity and equality, led by …
Gov response: The College and police forces are responsible for developing and delivering quality training that meets the varied needs of police officers and staff to ensure that they can best engage with, support and protect our …
Partially Accepted
#70 — Include explicit anti-racism focus in police officer training, examining racial disparities and outcomes.
Recommendation: Training for officers in addressing racism and valuing cultural diversity remains as important now as it was when the Macpherson report recommended it twenty-two years ago. But we are concerned by the disproportionate reliance on unconscious bias training that was …
Gov response: The College and police forces are responsible for developing and delivering quality training that meets the varied needs of police officers and staff to ensure that they can best engage with, support and protect our …
Partially Accepted
#69 — Individual bias and prejudice persist in policing, requiring robust challenge and disciplinary action.
Recommendation: Individual bias and prejudice have no place in policing. Where they persist they must be strongly challenged, including through robust disciplinary action and dismissals for unacceptable racist behaviour. Individual forces must be vigilant and proactive in shaping their organisational culture, …
Gov response: The College and police forces are responsible for developing and delivering quality training that meets the varied needs of police officers and staff to ensure that they can best engage with, support and protect our …
Accepted
#68 — Serious and persistent racial inequality shortcomings remain unaddressed in policing after two decades.
Recommendation: This report recognises the many significant changes that have been made on issues raised in the Macpherson report twenty-two years ago, including the major improvements in the way the police deal with racist crimes, and the public commitments by forces …
Gov response: The Home Office welcomes the Home Affairs Committee’s work to gather evidence on this progress and its report recognises that important improvements have taken place in policing. We also acknowledge that there is more to …
Under Consideration
#67 — Racial injustice persists, with government action prompted by the murder of George Floyd.
Recommendation: The murder of George Floyd and its global impact shone a spotlight on the race inequality and injustice that are still features of our society. It is an important step forward that political and policing leaders have come together in …
Gov response: The Home Office welcomes the Home Affairs Committee’s work to gather evidence on this progress and its report recognises that important improvements have taken place in policing. We also acknowledge that there is more to …
Under Consideration
#56 — Many police forces fail to address or explain racial disparities in stop and search.
Recommendation: Police forces need to take very seriously their responsibility to address racial disparities in the way people are treated in their local communities. Too many forces are unable to explain the levels of racial disparities in their area and are …
Gov response: The Government supports the police in their use of stop and search to tackle serious violence. That is why we have empowered over 9,000 more officers to authorise stop and search powers by piloting relaxation …
Not Addressed
#53 — Persistent racial disparities in stop and search undermine BME community confidence.
Recommendation: In the twenty-two years since the Macpherson report there have been different attempts to reform the way stop and search has worked, but there has been little progress in addressing the unexplained and unjustified racial disparities or building confidence among …
Gov response: The Government supports the police in their use of stop and search to tackle serious violence. That is why we have empowered over 9,000 more officers to authorise stop and search powers by piloting relaxation …
Under Consideration
#52 — Metropolitan Police's lockdown stop and search surge widened racial disparity and damaged confidence.
Recommendation: Stop and search needs to be used in a focused and targeted way. When it is not, it leads to injustice and to too many people being searched without good reason. The Metropolitan Police increased their use of stop and …
Gov response: The Government supports the police in their use of stop and search to tackle serious violence. That is why we have empowered over 9,000 more officers to authorise stop and search powers by piloting relaxation …
Not Addressed
#50 — Knife crime concerns fail to explain widespread racial disparities in stop and search.
Recommendation: We recognise the importance of the police being able to take action against knife crime, and their concern that victims and perpetrators of knife crime are disproportionately Black, but we also note that this does not explain the fact that …
Gov response: The Government supports the police in their use of stop and search to tackle serious violence. That is why we have empowered over 9,000 more officers to authorise stop and search powers by piloting relaxation …
Not Addressed
IOPC Learning Recommendations (8)
Stop and Search, National recommendations - April 2022
Recommendation 8: to the National Police Chiefs' Council and College of Policing The IOPC recommends that the NPCC and College of Policing work together to develop guidelines on how to safeguard people from a Black, Asian, or other minority ethnic …
Stop and Search, National recommendations - April 2022
Recommendation 1: to the National Police Chiefs' Council and College of Policing The IOPC recommends that the NPCC and College of Policing work together to develop guidelines on how to safeguard people from a Black, Asian, or other minority ethnic …
Recommendation - Cumbria Constabulary, August 2024
The IOPC recommends that Cumbria Constabulary adopt and implement the use of the IPCC guidance on dealing with allegations of discrimination when investigating/handling complaints that include allegations of discrimination. It is recommended that there is clear guidance given to staff …
Recommendation, Stop and search, Brent - Metropolitan Police, June 2018
The IOPC completed five investigations involving the stop and search of Black men by MPS officers. The following 11 learning recommendations are made under paragraph 28A of Schedule 3 of the Police Reform Act and are informed by the collective …
Recommendation, Stop and search, Romford - Metropolitan Police, April 2019
The IOPC completed five investigations involving the stop and search of Black men by MPS officers. The following 11 learning recommendations are made under paragraph 28A of Schedule 3 of the Police Reform Act and are informed by the collective …
Recommendation, Stop and search, Euston - Metropolitan Police Service, November 2019
The IOPC completed five investigations involving the stop and search of Black men by MPS officers. The following 11 learning recommendations are made under paragraph 28A of Schedule 3 of the Police Reform Act and are informed by the collective …
Stop and search, Harlesden - Metropolitan Police, October 2018
The IOPC completed five investigations involving the stop and search of Black men by MPS officers. The following 11 learning recommendations are made under paragraph 28A of Schedule 3 of the Police Reform Act and are informed by the collective …
Recommendation, Stop and search, Deptford - Metropolitan Police, February 2018
The IOPC completed five investigations involving the stop and search of Black men by MPS officers. The following 11 learning recommendations are made under paragraph 28A of Schedule 3 of the Police Reform Act and are informed by the collective …
IMB Recommendations (41)
Cardiff (2020)
We still believe that more investigation is required into the disparities in relation to the number of black, Asian minority ethnic (BAME) prisoners labelled as dangerous prisoners (see paragraph 5.4.4), and those of a black and mixed-race Caribbean origin who have been held in the CSU (see paragraph 5.4.5).
Governor / Director
Wormwood Scrubs (2021)
Can the Governor ensure that investigations will be undertaken to consider and monitor the disproportionate incidents in some months of use of force against black prisoners? Following such investigations can any necessary training be provided for prison officers?
Governor / Director
Wormwood Scrubs (2022)
Given the evidence seems to suggest that a disproportionate number of UoF incidents involve Black prisoners, what action, outside of the collection of data, is being taken to address this?
Governor / Director
Coldingley (2023)
Certain preferred residential areas and jobs in Coldingley are predominantly and very noticeably allocated to white prisoners. Prisoners from ethnic minorities are well-aware of this. What does the Governor plan to do to address this and ensure that every prisoner is treated equally and fairly?
Governor / Director
Cardiff (2021)
Our concern noted in the last report in relation to the disproportionate number of BAME prisoners labelled as dangerous remains. In addition to this, the Board has noticed a perception amongst BAME prisoners that they are being discriminated against in the allocation of work and education and we would ask that further investigation of any apparent discrimination be considered (paras …
Governor / Director
Birmingham (2023)
The apparent disproportionate use of force on black prisoners and prisoners of mixed or multiple ethnic backgrounds can be explained by a few repeat individual offenders. What will the Governor do to raise trust and compliance among those men resistant to the system and so reduce or remove disproportionality?
Governor / Director
Swinfen Hall (2020)
Racial imbalances are ubiquitous across prison life in Swinfen Hall, and remain unresolved – in adjudications, segregation, employment and IEP status. Added to this concern was inaction over a more than doubling of the number of discrimination incident report forms (DIRFs) submitted in 2019 compared with 2018 (see paragraph 5.4(d)). These issues, together with other concerns (see paragraph 5.4(a)), suggest …
Governor / Director
Portland (2020)
Prisoners from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, those with mental health problems and those with other protected characteristics have indicated that they do not feel understood or supported by operational staff on the wings. Confidence in discrimination incident reporting and the complaints process is low. Prisoners have indicated that they do not feel the system in Portland is working …
Governor / Director
Isis (2020)
respond to the findings of the equality survey carried out by the Board, and particularly: - understand why prisoners feel that jobs are unfairly allocated - review whether the discrimination incident report form (DIRF) system is an effective means of prisoners reporting discrimination and having their concerns investigated (see section 5.4).
Governor / Director
Lewes (2021)
Will the Governor redouble her efforts to eliminate the disproportionate use of force against BAME prisoners, whether this be by ensuring all staff undertake inclusivity, diversity and awareness training with the aim of improving their understanding of BAME prisoners, or any other means?
Governor / Director
Foston Hall (2021)
The IMB is concerned about: the views of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) prisoners surveyed by the IMB, rating the prison’s understanding of their cultural needs as low, especially regarding access to canteen products, appropriate food and clothing
Governor / Director
Wormwood Scrubs (2023)
The Governor should take action to address the disproportionate number of black prisoners being segregated and involved in use of force incidents.
Governor / Director
Thameside (2023)
Conduct more focused analysis of data collected across all departments to investigate the possible discrimination of particular ethnic groups who may be disproportionally represented in the CSU, adjudications, use of force (UoF) and incentive scheme downgrading (see 5.4).
Governor / Director
Coldingley (2023)
Muslim prisoners continue to be over-represented in use of force incidents in Coldingley. What does the Governor plan to do to further investigate why this issue has been so persistent?
Governor / Director
Swinfen Hall (2020)
For the last three years, the Board has expressed concerns that the proportion of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) prison officers at the establishment does not reflect that of the prisoner population, and moreover that prison managers have little power to effect any change. The situation remains of concern, with the proportion of BAME officers, at 5% (6% last …
Other
Hewell (2020)
The Board is concerned at the lack of robustness in the approach to equality issues, and would welcome renewed vigour and accountability in this regard. We recognise that progress has recently been made in terms of collecting data but are concerned still at the lack of rigour in its analysis and lack of influence on practice. We are keen to …
Governor / Director
Ford (2020)
In June 2020 the Director General of Prisons wrote: ‘We are making changes to improve the fairness of our processes and to improve the representation of ethnic minority people in our workforce’. HMP Ford continues to have a workforce which in no way mirrors the ethnic makeup of the prisoner community. The Board urges you to recruit more imaginatively in …
HMPPS
Send (2021)
The Board is concerned that discrimination incident report forms (DIRFs) where racist behaviour between prisoners was highlighted have had inconsistent outcomes, indicating staff have been unable to establish beyond doubt racist behaviours (5.4).
Governor / Director
New Hall (2021)
Work towards a greater representation of black, Asian and minority ethnic staff in management positions. (See the recommendations of the Lammy Review 2017.)
Governor / Director
Lowdham Grange (2021)
Continue to champion the work of the race equality task force and in leading changes throughout the prison where this is identified as needed.
Governor / Director
Hewell (2021)
Improve the handling of prison complaints and applications systems, focusing particularly on those which raise issues of discrimination, to ensure that such concerns are appropriately addressed and where necessary dealt with through the DIRF process.
Governor / Director
Altcourse (2021)
It has recently come to our notice that a number of ‘out of area’ prisoners are starting to be placed at Altcourse with the potential for a clash of cultures which could impact on the relative stability at Altcourse.
HMPPS
Wayland (2022)
The Board recommends that the area of potential discrimination regarding almost all responsible prisoner jobs being held by white prisoners is reviewed by the Governor.
Governor / Director
High Down (2022)
What action is the prison taking to tackle the disproportionate way that the incentives scheme is applied, which has a particularly discriminatory impact on black prisoners? (see section 5.6.)
Governor / Director
Feltham (2023)
Is the prison investigating why the population of Wren unit is generally made up of white young people, when a significant proportion of the prison population is black, Asian and minority ethnic?
Governor / Director
Isis (2024)
What research has been done into the reasons why black young men are disproportionately involved in violence including multiple prisoner fights and how can this be disseminated to prisons like HMP/YOI Isis, for whom this is a major factor in the levels of violence?
HMPPS
Feltham (2024)
Is the prison investigating why the population of Wren unit is generally white, when a significant proportion of the prison population is black?
Governor / Director
Elmley (2024)
Identify the reasons why black prisoners are twice as likely to be subject to the use of force when compared with white prisoners and put in place effective strategies to reduce the disproportionality.
Governor / Director
Nottingham (2025)
When will the Governor monitor the increased use of force and investigate if there is increased force used on prisoners from ethnic minorities?
Governor / Director
Ford (2021)
Although we were assured last year that HMPPS was looking to increase the number of ethnic minority staff in its workforce, the proportion at HMP Ford remains totally different from that in its prisoner community. We appreciate the difficulty, given the racial balance in the local community, but we have seen little sign of any proactive moves on the part …
HMPPS
Birmingham (2021)
How will the Governor ensure parity between ethnic groups when enhanced incentives and earned privileges status is applied?
Governor / Director
Belmarsh (2021)
Will the prison ensure that diversity and inclusion is given a much higher focus than in recent years, and that detailed measures are introduced to ensure equality of outcome and opportunity for all relevant protected characteristics (see section 5.4 Equality and diversity)?
Governor / Director
Buckley Hall (2022)
Restore an emphasis on equality and diversity within the prison.
Governor / Director
Ashfield (2022)
Can the Director organise general awareness training for prison staff on cultural sensitivities?
Governor / Director
Send (2023)
The overall impression of the Board is that the management of discrimination incident report forms (DIRFs) is disorganised. Furthermore, there is no longer an independent scrutiny of DIRFs.
Governor / Director
Littlehey (2023)
The diversity and inclusion data continues to show an over-representation of black and Muslim prisoners in adjudications and of Muslim prisoners being subject to use of force. The Board recognises the data is based on an underlying low level of incidents, however, it would like to know what plans are in place to ensure the adjudication and use of force …
Governor / Director
Grendon (2023)
The Board looks forward to improvements to the effectiveness of the prison’s Diversity and Inclusion mandate in delivering necessary change being sustained and the re-establishment of the external scrutiny of all discrimination incident report forms (DIRFs).
Governor / Director
Elmley (2024)
Ensure that UoF reviews and discrimination incident reporting forms are independently scrutinised to ensure procedures are fair and transparent.
Governor / Director
Cardiff (2024)
The Board recommends that the Prison Service works with HMP Cardiff to explore opportunities to promote to, and recruit from, local minority ethnic communities in the surrounding area, to better reflect the prison population, which comprises 19% ethnic minorities.
HMPPS
Brinsford (2024)
Investigate and address reasons why Black and mixed ethnicity prisoners are disproportionately placed in the CSU.
Governor / Director
Feltham (2025)
Investigate why the population of Wren unit is generally white, when a significant proportion of the prison population is black.
Governor / Director
Detention Investigations (8)
Investigation into Allegations of Racism and Mistreatment of Detainees at … — Rec 21
I recommend that GSL ceases the practice of highlighting Eastern Europeans and automatically entering their names in the ‘Blue Book’.
Immigration Detention
Investigation into the Disturbance and Fire at Yarl's Wood Removal … — Rec 57
In my earlier report on Yarl’s Wood, I made a range of recommendations regarding the IMB. These were that the Board: • regularly attends training for DCOs; • undertakes training in race relations and cultural awareness; • draws up a Mission Statement; • introduces instructions for duties which must be …
Immigration Detention
Investigation into Allegations of Racism and Mistreatment of Detainees at … — Rec 10
I recommend that IND commissions a race relations audit of the entire removal estate.
Immigration Detention
Investigation into Allegations of Racism and Mistreatment of Detainees at … — Rec 7
I recommend that GSL reorganises its ITC to ensure that race relations training informs the whole of the course.
Immigration Detention
Investigation into Allegations of Racism and Mistreatment of Detainees at … — Rec 23
I recommend that IND introduces new audit procedures to ensure the objectivity of requests for segregation.
Immigration Detention
Investigation into Allegations of Racism and Mistreatment of Detainees at … — Rec 22
I recommend that GSL managers are reminded to avoid supposition and generalisations in asking for authority to segregate detainees. Evidence should be factual, objective and specific to the individual.
Immigration Detention
Investigation into Allegations of Racism and Mistreatment of Detainees at … — Rec 12
I recommend that the Race Relations Liaison Manager’s office be re-located in the main compound and that the remit for the postholder should emphasise that they must spend more time out and about.
Immigration Detention
Investigation into Allegations of Racism and Mistreatment of Detainees at … — Rec 1
I recommend that all complaints of racism at Oakington, however dealt with, are formally recorded.
Immigration Detention
LGO / SPSO Decisions (7)
PSOW-202200117 — Haverfordwest Town Council
The Ombudsman received a complaint that a Member (“the Member”) of Haverfordwest Town Council (“the Council”) had breached the Code of Conduct for Members of the Council. It was alleged that the Member called the Clerk “a liar” on 2 occasions during a meeting of the Council’s Management, Estates and …
PSOW (Public Services Om…
Local Government
Feb 2023
22-011-331 — Great Yarmouth Borough Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council has been racist in its treatment of Mr X. This is because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault by the Council.
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Dec 2022
201707720 — Scottish Prison Service
Mr C complained that the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) unreasonably refused to allow him access to a laptop. Mr C said that he had a degenerative condition (a disease in which the function or structure of the affected tissues or organs worsens over time) and a laptop had specialist software …
SPSO (Scottish Public Se…
Prisons
Not Upheld
Apr 2019
21-015-075 — South Somerset District Council
Summary: Mr X complains the Council has discriminated against him in its handling of matters relating to a building erected in a neighbour’s garden. We will not investigate the complaint because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault by the Council.
LGO (Local Government & …
Planning
Feb 2022
21-000-286 — London Borough of Barnet
Summary: Ms X complains the Council has failed to take action in respect of her neighbour’s dog repeatedly fouling outside of her property. She says her neighbour’s conduct is racially motivated. We have found no evidence to suggest the Council has failed in meeting its duty to maintain the cleanliness …
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Upheld
Feb 2022
22-001-659 — Bury Metropolitan Borough Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Mr X’s allegation the Council set a parking trap which specifically targets the local Jewish community. This is because there is no evidence of fault by the Council.
LGO (Local Government & …
Transport And Highways
May 2022
22-008-797 — London Borough of Havering
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the complainant was mistreated and racially abused when she visited the Council. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.
LGO (Local Government & …
Transport And Highways
Nov 2022