Police forces across England and Wales are under scrutiny over a planned review into potential bias against young black individuals in the justice system. The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) is set to publish a report calling for a proactive approach to tackling racism, arguing that it is not enough for officers to simply claim they are not racist. Instead, the report asserts that law enforcement must actively work against racial bias.
A key focus of the review is “adultification bias,” a concept suggesting that black juveniles are often misperceived as older and more mature than they really are. This perception, the report warns, could lead to unfair treatment in policing, particularly in stop-and-search procedures and interactions involving black victims and witnesses. The NPCC has committed to gathering evidence on whether this bias affects policing decisions.
The report further endorses the idea of “racial equity,” stating that police should engage with communities based on their specific racial backgrounds, circumstances, and lived experiences. It emphasizes that treating everyone the same is not always fair, challenging the idea of “colour-blind” policing.
However, the language of the report has sparked strong criticism, with concerns that it promotes unequal treatment under the law. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick warned that the guidance risks undermining the principle that justice should be applied equally. “If the rule of law means anything, it’s that everyone is equal before the law,” he stated. “These guidelines explicitly tell officers to treat minorities differently. This will only fuel concerns that we now have two-tier justice under Two-Tier Keir.”
The NPCC report highlights that all police forces in England and Wales have committed to anti-racism and racial equity, stressing that “it is not enough to simply not be racist.” Instead, officers must actively work to eliminate racial bias in policing, a stance it argues aligns with legal duties and ethical standards.
This initiative is part of a broader commitment made by police chiefs in response to the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020. However, as the NPCC prepares to release its findings, the debate over whether these policies promote fairness or deepen division continues to escalate.
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