Police Chiefs Failed to Tackle Racism Due to Lack of National Leadership, Watchdog Finds
Promises by police chiefs to combat racial bias have failed because of a clear absence of national leadership, according to a damning independent report published this week. The findings highlight that pledges made five years ago in response to the Black Lives Matter movement have resulted in no meaningful impact, with the watchdog calling for government intervention to enforce change.
No Meaningful Impact After Five Years
The Independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board (ISOB), which monitors progress on the race action plan launched by police bosses in England and Wales, concluded in its report that there has been no significant improvement. The plan was intended to address the stigmatising and humiliating experiences faced by Black people during interactions with officers, but the board found implementation severely lacking.
Abimbola Johnson, chair of the ISOB, stated: "Five years ago, policing committed to improving outcomes for Black communities. That commitment has not been met. Progress has been slow, uneven and too dependent on individual effort rather than institutional change." The report emphasises that without legally enforced obligations and a robust inspection framework, progress will remain partial and reversible.
Internal Police Culture as a Major Barrier
One of the most significant obstacles identified is the entrenched culture within policing itself. The report reads: "Internal police culture is the most significant barrier to progress. An external framework is incapable of overcoming a culture that does not want to change." This resistance is evident as only six out of 44 police forces accepted the finding of institutional racism, first made in the 1999 Stephen Lawrence report, with major forces like the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police among those refusing.
Gavin Stephens, chair of the National Police Chiefs Council, acknowledged that progress has fallen short of expectations. He said: "There is still far more work to be done. Progress in this area has been inconsistent, too often dependent on committed individuals and not driven by the kind of systemic and deep-rooted cultural change I and many others envisaged at the outset of this plan." Stephens personally views policing as institutionally racist, but noted that most of his fellow chiefs, who are predominantly white, disagree.
Calls for Government Intervention and Financial Waste
The National Black Police Association has labelled the effort a £10 million failure. Andy George, its president, commented: "After more than £10m of investment, it has failed to deliver on its core aim: improving the experience of policing for Black people. The reality is the environment is becoming more toxic and the progress made since the Macpherson report is now being reversed." The ISOB, which is now being wound up, highlighted that it could identify failures and name them publicly but lacked the power to compel meaningful change, with recommendations often accepted in principle but left unimplemented.
Neil Basu, a former head of counter-terrorism, expressed concern over waning racial justice, stating: "My peers and friends tell me they fear we are sliding backwards into the 70s. I fear they are right." He left policing after chiefs decided not to admit to institutional racism.
Some Progress Amidst Widespread Failures
Despite the criticisms, Stephens pointed to some advancements, such as a reduction in stop and search disparities. Black people are now 3.8 times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people, down from almost ten times in 2019. He also noted that race is now on the agenda rather than being ignored, reflecting a shift in policing's 200-year history. However, he admitted that deep-rooted issues persist.
The Home Office has responded by stating it will carefully consider the report's findings and recommendations. A spokesperson said: "We know there is still progress to be made and we will carefully consider the findings and recommendations made in the report." The ISOB's call for government to step in and order change has been echoed by Stephens, who agrees with the report's conclusions.
