Police Scotland: the UK’s second largest force is also grappling with misogyny and racism

A damning report published in March found the UK’s largest police force rife with ill-treatment of women, ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ officers. Louise Casey found London’s Metropolitan Police to be “institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic”, and recommended radical reform – or breaking up the Met.

Police Scotland, the UK’s second-largest force, may not face a crisis in public trust and confidence of the same scale. But it is not immune to the Casey review’s findings. Scottish policing has a history of complacency concerning equality, diversity and inclusion.

Following the Stephen Lawrence inquiry, police leaders did not consider racism to be a problem in Scotland’s policing. As a result, they did not implement the recommendations on stop and search that were introduced in England and Wales.

Yet the 1998 murder of Surjit Singh Chhokar and the subsequent failings in prosecution drew comparisons with the Stephen Lawrence case. Successive inquiries found the prosecution and the police to be institutionally racist.

An inquiry into the death of Sheku Bayoh in police custody in 2015 is still underway. Bayoh’s family has repeatedly insisted his death was a consequence of disproportionate use of force and motivated by racial bias.

In response to the Casey report, policing leaders in Scotland defended Scottish policing as different from the Met. The Scottish Police Federation said that the force had a “vigorous” approach to handling misconduct that sets it apart from the UK’s other forces.

But in 2020, an independent review expressed concerns about Police Scotland’s handling of complaints, misconduct and whistleblowing processes. Elish Angiolini recommended a “broader, fundamental review of equality matters by an independent organisation”.

As of December 2022, 55 out of 111 recommendations were signed off as completed. For recommendations requiring legislative changes, the Scottish government held a formal consultation in the summer of 2022, which received only 55 responses. But there was broad agreement that proposed legislative changes would improve transparency and impartiality in policing.

Recruitment and retention

Police Scotland continues to recruit fewer female officers and officers from minority ethnic backgrounds. Meanwhile, a higher proportion of officers from minority backgrounds continue to leave the force.

A 2021 small-scale survey commissioned by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) as part of an inspection of police training and development, found that first-line and middle managers were often involved in instances of bullying, harassment, misogyny and racism. Or they were on friendly terms with those who engaged in this behaviour, leaving little room for victims to speak out.

The HMICS inspection also found that the representation of black and minority ethnic officers has never risen above 1%, compared with a 4% share of the Scottish population. Women are also underrepresented in the workforce – 32% compared to 51.5% of the general population.

Retention data shows that between 2019-20, of the 865 officers who left Police Scotland, 2% were black and minority ethnic and 24% were female.

And of the minority ethnic officers who left the force, 86% resigned. Six out of seven left during their probation. Black or minority ethnic respondents to the HMICS survey said they faced obstacles in promotion due to a culture of nepotism and a lack of equal opportunity.

There is not a single officer from a minority ethnic background in Police Scotland’s senior executive team and female officers continue to be underrepresented in senior ranks.

In 2022, a group of female former officers cautioned Keith Brown, then justice secretary, that more women would leave policing without urgent action to address sexism within the force.

Several female former officers have come forward with reports of sexist bullying in the police. In 2018, two former officers urged Police Scotland to do more to tackle sexism within the force. In response, Chief Constable Iain Livingstone refuted any suggestions of a deep-rooted problem as “unfair”.

Weak accountability

In 2013, Scotland’s local police forces were merged into one, and the Scottish Police Authority was created to replace local police boards. This change in structure meant that the formal responsibility of holding Scottish policing to account rests with one body, which does not have the capacity or autonomy to do this effectively. This, coupled with a lack of formal powers for local democratic oversight of policing, has resulted in weak and lopsided police governance in Scotland.

So far, the Scottish Police Authority has taken a back seat, deferring to Police Scotland and the Scottish government to implement recommendations related to equality and diversity, including those outlined in the Angiolini review.

And the Scottish Police Authority’s own board and senior executive team lacks any representation from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Police Scotland established an independent review group in 2021 to assist the organisation with matters of equality, alongside the ongoing Sheku Bayoh inquiry. The group is yet to report on its findings but is expected to submit a report to the police authority in late 2023. In the first six months, five members stepped down from the group citing competing work commitments.

HMICS has also committed to conducting a review of Police Scotland’s organisational culture in 2023.

Humza Yousaf, Scotland’s new first minister, has started his leadership of the Scottish National Party under challenging circumstances.

The first minister will have several party-specific issues dividing his attention, including a lack of transparency or rigorous accountability in the party. But improvements in equality, diversity and inclusion in Scottish policing also need to be a priority. This means fully implementing the recommendations of the Angiolini review and addressing the imbalance in current police governance.

The problems in Scottish policing are not at the level of the Met. But continued public confidence and trust cannot be taken for granted. Police forces across the UK need to tackle racism, misogyny and bullying within their ranks. ■