In policing, the term “a normal week” should convey order, service, and professionalism. But for many Black officers and staff within UK policing, a “normal week” is far from acceptable and that is precisely the problem.
Behind the uniform, there is another battle: navigating a culture that too often tolerates racism, minimises harm, and fails to act with the urgency that equity demands. The reality of this has been laid bare time and again through stories shared by Black officers and staff: racist incidents ignored, accountability bypassed, and zero tolerance policies that exist only on paper.
Everyday Racism in Uniform
Despite the commitments outlined in the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Race Action Plan, racist incidents continue to occur. Officers still report being subjected to open racial slurs, such as the ‘N’ word, and finding racially-charged items like bananas left maliciously in personal lockers. Many feel unable to report such incidents, fearing backlash or indifference. When complaints are made, the outcomes often fall short. For example, one recent case was addressed only through “reflective practice,” a non-disciplinary approach, with no real accountability or redress.
This is not just anecdotal. The Baroness Casey Review into the Metropolitan Police (2023) found institutional racism persists across UK policing. The NPCC’s own 2022 workforce data shows that Black officers make up just 1.3% of total police strength in England and Wales, despite being 3.5% of the general population. Even more starkly, Black officers are 80% more likely to be subjected to misconduct proceedings than their White colleagues (Home Affairs Select Committee Report, 2021).
The Hidden Emotional Labour
Those on the frontline of equity work within policing whether through staff associations or personal leadership, carry a unique burden. Not only are they working to serve the public, but they also serve as informal support systems for colleagues dealing with trauma, exclusion, or injustice. They are the confidantes, advocates, and cultural navigators when the system falls short.
This hidden emotional labour is not always recognised by institutions. It involves long days, personal sacrifice, and little structural support.
It includes meetings with organisations like the Equality and Human Rights Commission, participation in inclusion-focused panels, liaising with policymakers, coordinating community dialogues, and mentoring individuals isolated within the force.
This kind of advocacy and leadership happens week in, week out, often by individuals doing this work on top of their day jobs or with limited funding and staffing. In fact, some staff networks are run by just one full-time officer.
The Importance of Representation and Connection
Amidst the exhaustion, there is a glimmer of something else, resilience, and resolve. Staff networks and associations have become essential engines for progress. They do more than provide support: they inspire structural change, shape public perception, and create safer pathways for future recruits from ethnically diverse backgrounds.
They also bridge the divide between communities and policing. Many communities who have lost faith in traditional systems of complaint and redress still engage because of these networks. They represent one of the last remaining threads of trust.
Beyond Symbolism: The Need for Action
What is most urgent now is not more promises, but implementation. Diversity strategies must be backed with investment, leadership accountability, and transparent outcomes. The cost of inaction is too high not only for officers affected, but for the legitimacy of policing itself.
A “normal week” should never involve absorbing racism, fighting for your right to be seen and heard, or shouldering the trauma of others without organisational care or credit. And yet, for many, it still does.
Until that changes, “normal” will remain unacceptable.
Key Takeaways:
- Institutional racism continues to affect Black police officers and staff, despite official strategies and promises.
- Many officers do not feel safe reporting racist incidents, and when they do, the response often lacks accountability.
- Staff networks play a vital role in advocacy, wellbeing, and reform but are often under-resourced
- Emotional labour, especially for officers of colour in leadership roles, remains largely invisible but vital to organisational progress.
- Structural change requires more than symbolism, it demands action, investment, and a genuine commitment to equity at all levels of the police service.