Introduction: Who are we Policing? – and how?
According to the 2021 Census, England and Wales recorded:
- Black (African, Caribbean, Other Black): 3.0%
- Black African: 1.2%
- Black Caribbean: 0.9%
- Black Other: 0.9%
- Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Other): 9.0%
- Mixed Ethnic Groups: 2.9%
- All Ethnically Diverse Groups Combined: 15%
Despite being a minority by population share, these communities bear a majority of the burden in over-policing and racialised targeting especially through stop and search, disproportionate use of force, and invasive technologies.
The Human Cost of Disproportionate Policing
Too often, the debate around policing disparities focuses on numbers rather than people. Behind every statistic is a young Black boy mislabelled as dangerous, a Muslim student followed home, or a mother strip-searched in front of her child. These experiences are not isolated, they are systemic.
Stop and Search
- Black individuals are 3.7 times more likely to be stopped and searched than White individuals.
- The stop and search rate per 1,000 people is:
- Black: 24.5
- Pakistani: 10.3
- Mixed: 9.9
- White: 5.9
- Only 5% of stop and searches result in reduced violence, compared to 21–33% reductions from community-based alternatives like mentoring and intervention schemes.
Use of Force
- Black men are 3.3 times more likely to experience use of force.
- Police are 7.5 times more likely to point a firearm at a Black man than at a White man.
- These encounters often escalate rather than de-escalate, traumatising communities and undermining trust.
Adultification and Disbelief
- Black children are routinely seen as older, less innocent, and more culpable resulting in higher levels of physical intervention and even strip-searches without safeguarding.
- The Child Q case (2020) revealed how bias and failure of duty can combine to inflict long-term harm on children’s mental health and sense of safety.
Algorithmic Policing and Facial Recognition
- Facial recognition systems used in South Wales and London have shown false positive rates of up to 90%, disproportionately flagging Black and Brown individuals.
- Predictive policing algorithms built on historically biased data reinforce pre-existing racial disparities.
Structural Racism in Policing Across the UK
In England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, structurally embedded racism is evident in multiple forms—disproportionate stop and search, biased tech tools, illegal data profiling, and ineffective oversight.
Why Does This Keep Happening?
Bias at Every Level:
- Confirmation Bias: Officers may interpret neutral behaviour as suspicious when seen through a racialised lens.
- Adultification Bias: Black and Brown children are misperceived as adults, stripping them of protection.
- Cultural Blind Spots: Misunderstanding community behaviours or traditions leads to over-policing.
Lack of Oversight:
Action plans exist, but inconsistent data, weak accountability, and political interference undermine their success.
Tech-Driven Discrimination:
Without rigorous ethical scrutiny, technology such as predictive policing tools is simply scaling up systemic racism.
Impact on People, Not Just Process
The impact of disproportionate policing is not abstract. It’s found in:
- School absence due to fear of safety after police interaction.
- Long-term mental health trauma for young people subjected to invasive searches.
- Employment and educational loss due to unjustified criminal records.
- Strained family and community relations, where policing is seen as punitive rather than protective.
Key Messages
- Disparities in policing are real, recurring, and rooted in structural racism—not isolated errors.
- Black, Asian, and ethnically diverse communities are over-policed and under-protected.
- Racial profiling, adultification, and biased technologies disproportionately harm ethnically diverse people especially children.
- Effective alternatives to stop and search exist but remain underused.
- Transparency, cultural competence, and real community engagement are essential.
Immediate Actions Required
- Audit All Tech Tools for racial bias before deployment.
- Ban Strip Searches of Children without a safeguarding adult.
- Embed Racial Literacy Training in every police force.
- Fund Alternatives to punitive policing, youth diversion, mentoring, restorative justice.
- Publish Disaggregated Data on race and policing outcomes.
- Empower Independent Oversight Bodies to investigate racial discrimination.
Helpful Resources & Reports
- The Lammy Review
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lammy-review-final-report - Met Police Race Action Plan
https://www.met.police.uk/police-forces/metropolitan-police/areas/about-us/about-the-met/the-london-race-action-plan/ - Youth Endowment Fund on Stop and Search
https://youthendowmentfund.org.uk - Amnesty International
https://www.amnesty.org.uk - Black Equity Organisation
https://blackequityorg.com - Institute of Race Relations
https://irr.org.uk - IOPC
https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk
Conclusion: Beyond the Numbers a Call to Justice
Policing in the UK must evolve from power over communities to protection with communities. The price of continued racial bias is not only lost trust but lost futures. For policing to be truly fair, it must see and serve every community with dignity, safety, and equity.
We do not need to wait for another inquiry. The evidence is here.
The time to act is now.