Police Race Action Plan – improving policing for Black people
We are supporting the launch of the draft Police Race Action Plan.
The draft plan outlines a series of proposals for all forces to become anti-racist organisations and better understand Black communities.
The aim of the plan is to give police officers the tools they need to build trust and confidence with Black communities, so that they are better equipped to challenge racism and to identify and address any engrained cultural biases that may be fuelling racial disparities across policing.
It seeks to create an anti-racist culture, mindset, values, and behaviours within policing, which will inform all operational policing practice, improving the experience and outcomes for Black people.
It will also enable the lived experience of Black communities, officers, and staff to have a direct influence on police policies and practices going forward.
Policing has a difficult history in its relationship with Black communities, with historic issues, inequality and injustice continuing to blight this relationship to this day.
Despite some progress, change has not been fast or gone far enough in terms of trust and confidence between the police and Black communities.
Policing lags behind almost every part of the public service as an employer of choice for Black people.
Confidence levels in policing are lowest among Black communities, and powers such as use of force and stop and search are disproportionately applied to Black communities. In some crimes, victimisation rates are higher.
While we are among the top performing forces nationally, with a diverse workforce and low levels of disproportionality in areas like stop and search, these problems still exist here in Bedfordshire. We all want to do more to address them.
We want to encourage our Black communities in Bedfordshire in particular to help us make the changes we need.
The final version of the plan is due for publication later this year.
Your voice matters. Please take the time to read the plan in full and get in touch with us with your thoughts or suggestions .
See Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Bedfordshire Festus Akinbusoye's response to the action plan.
Our commitment
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Police race action plan leader praises Bedfordshire’s approach
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Police recognise community champion Pastor Lloyd Denny
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Huge success for first-ever Women of Colour in Policing Summer Festival
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More than 100 police officers, staff and members of the public attend race action plan events
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Bedfordshire Officer wins Police Officer of the Year award during National Black Police Association Conference
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Police welcome new chair of stop and search community scrutiny panel
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New chair of police support group for those from diverse backgrounds vows to make a difference
