Anti-black racism ‘baked’ into Met Police, review says
An internal review found discrimination against black people was “imprinted” into the leadership, culture and management of the Metropolitan Police.
The independently commissioned review, written by Dr Shereen Daniels, explored 40 years of evidence on how racism affects black communities as well as black officers and staff.
Baroness Doreen Lawrence, mother of murdered black teenager Stephen Lawrence, said the report was welcome but “it doesn’t contain anything I didn’t already know”.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley described the report as “powerful” and added that it “highlights the need for further systemic, structural and cultural change”.
The review, commissioned by consultancy HR Rewired, concluded that dark-skinned Met staff were labeled as “confrontational”, while lighter-skinned employees were more likely to receive empathy and tolerance.
Dr Shereen Daniels said systemic racism “is not a matter of perception”, adding that “real accountability starts with specificity”.
“The systems that lead to racial harm against Black people also enable other types of harm. Confronting this is not an act of exclusion, but a necessary foundation for safety, fairness and justice for all,” Dr Daniels said. he said.
Baroness Lawrence said discrimination “needs to be recognized, acknowledged and confronted at the Met”, adding that racism was the reason her son was murdered and the reason police “could not find all his killers”.
He added: “The police must stop telling us that change will come while we continue to suffer. This change must happen now.”
Imran Khan KC said the findings of the report were “a bit of a surprise”, adding that Sir Mark Rowley should resign if he did not “recognise, approve and accept” the findings of the report.
He added: “This Report reveals with shocking clarity that the time for talk is over, that promises of change can no longer be believed or trusted.”
The report is the latest to highlight racism within Britain’s largest police force, after Louise Casey’s 2023 review (commissioned in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder) concluded the Met was institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic.
Reviews decades ago criticized discrimination within the Met; this included the 1999 Macpherson report, which described the force as “institutionally racist” after the mishandling of Stephen Lawrence’s case.
Earlier this year, undercover BBC footage revealed Met Police officers were called to shoot immigrants and enjoyed the use of force.
Scores of officers have been sacked after Sir Mark Rowley vowed to be “ruthless” in getting rid of officers unfit to serve.
Following the publication of the latest report, Sir Mark Rowley said: “London is a uniquely global city and the Met will only truly police by consent when it is inclusive and anti-racist.”
