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UK: Racism and sexism ingrained

01 March 1996

Within days of a black policeman, Detective Constable Peter Franklin, being awarded £30,000 in damages from the Metropolitan police for racial discrimination, a report by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary found that racism and sexism is entrenched within the police force. The report, which was published in February, was based on a study of 13 police forces in the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Bedfordshire, Devon & Cornwall, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lincolnshire, Northumbria, North Wales, South Yorkshire, Surrey and Wiltshire. The report, which claimed `substantial progress in the development of systems for implementing equal opportunities', presented a picture of a racist and sexist force staffed by bigoted white males. It noted "evidence of continuing high levels of sexist and racist banter, perhaps more covert and subtle than before" and "harassment of and discrimination against civilian staff." This behaviour was often allowed to go unchallenged by senior officers, the report added. Statistics for England and Wales (excluding the Metropolitan police) for 1994 showed that 1.4% of police officers were from the "ethnic minorities"; the highest grade attained was chief inspector (0.1%) but none had reached the level of assistant chief constable or above. Women constituted 13.7% of all officers, with 3% at the ranks of assistant chief constable and above. Developing diversity in the police service: equal opportunities thematic inspection report 1995, Home Office (HMSO) 1996.