Lack of diversity in the police workforce

Having a diverse workforce is a key method to building legitimacy in the eyes of the public, as people are more likely to identify and cooperate with those whom they feel are similar to them. Policing organisations are now policing a more diverse public but are struggling to match this within their ranks. As of September 2021, 7.9% of police officers in England and Wales were BAME (1.3% Black, 3.5% Asian, 2.4% mixed ethnicity and 0.6% other ethnicity),95 compared to an estimated 17.2% for the population as a whole.96 The increase in the number of BAME officers over the past decade has been primarily driven by the recruitment of those who are Asian or mixed-race, with forces still struggling to recruit people who identify themselves as Black. In the last 10 years, Black officer representation has increased nationally by only 0.3%, with 28 forces having seen no increase in the proportion of Black officers during this time, and 23 having seen decreases. Over a quarter of forces in England and Wales do not have a single Black officer, with nearly 40% having one or none.97 The rate of change in BAME populations is outpacing the rate of change in the police workforce. If the average annual rate of change between 2015 and 2020 is maintained, it will take more than 90 years for the police force in England and Wales to be representative of the likely BAME population in 2050. While policing now has the highest proportion of non-White officers in history, it is still far lower than in the general population, and progress in attracting recruits with other protected characteristics has been slower. There is still work to be done to ensure that this more diverse workforce is retained and can advance. Only with significant progress in this area will the police begin to reflect the communities they serve. A diverse and representative police workforce can have symbolic benefits that enhance the overall status of the police, which can also alter the perception that actions, such as stops or searches, are based on racial profiling.98