Plan to tackle unconscious bias

All areas: Police aim to address institutional racism

Thames Valley Police has revealed its action plan to tackle racism that comes from unconscious bias in the police.

The Race Action Plan runs up until 2026 and is there to address ‘systemic’ or institutional racism, which can be defined as the ‘collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture, or ethnic origin’.

It is characterised as ‘unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people.’

Some of its prongs of attack include education and mentorship, use of police powers and forensics, community relations, and internal police processes supporting ethnic minority staff.

Use of police powers and

forensics

The force is keen to understand the impact of digital forensics on ethnic minority people, to eliminate unconscious bias or discriminatory practices.

It is also aiming for consistent recording, analysis, monitoring and publication of data on police powers which may be ‘disproportionate’.

Police powers include stop and search, use of force and pulling over vehicles.

The force wants to be able to increase transparency in the complaints process relating to these.

It intends to analyse its use of force/tasers, dealings with young persons and those in custody.

The force plans to ramp up recording of vehicle stops and wants to create the ability for ‘rapid community review’ of body worn camera video cases.

TVP is seeking to share use of police powers data with groups including community groups and youth justice agencies.

The hope is to train officers to ‘go beyond’ procedure, focusing on ‘fairness and respect’ including effective de-escalation.

It will look at scrutiny standards in relation to digital forensics (biometric data, facial recognition and artificial intelligence).

As an example of disparities in these matters, researchers and academics have shown face recognition technologies to be biased or less accurate for people of colour.

Community relations TVP wants to develop a framework for reconciliation between policing with ethnic minority communities and map community confidence in the police.

It will seek to ‘empower local grassroots agencies’ to play an active role in guiding and evaluating policing practice.

There will be ‘internal initiatives’ aimed at tackling offences which cause the most harm to ethnic minority victims.

The force hopes for a ‘measurable uplift’ in funding for projects to address crime which adversely impacts ethnic minority communities.

It will work to identify potential mentors from ethnic minority communities outside of policing.

Internal complaints against

staff

In particular, TVP is seeking to address racial disparities in misconduct and disciplinary processes.

Police are looking at developing a policy that will enable ethnic minority staff to observe misconduct panels or hearings and sit on them.

It is looking to enable ethnic minority staff who are involved in misconduct investigations to be supported by ethnic minority staff.

In addition, the force wants to increase the number of workplace mediators from an ethnic minority background by five per cent, compared to 2021/22.

It aims to have increased recording for all alleged racial victimisation, harassment or discrimination – with a view to identify patterns of repeat perpetrators, victims and workplace locations.

Police processes supporting ethnic

minority staff Among other changes, TVP wants to address pay gaps.

There are plans for a breakdown of recruitment, retention and progression in a ‘Diversity Dashboard’ workforce.

TVP wants to anticipate staff from an ethnic minority background who are more likely to leave the organisation, to try to retain or redeploy them.

TVP wants to increase the number of Black staff to three per cent and Asian staff representation to nine per cent across the workforce.

There are aims to ensure all new ethnic minority staff have the confidence to meet with the department head to discuss any concerns.

Plans are afoot to review the representation of ethnic minority staff and community members on interviews and panels.

Education and mentorship

in the force

TVP is looking at a mandatory training programme on racism, anti-racism, trauma associated with disproportionality, ethnic minority history and its connection to policing.

It seeks to create and deliver a bespoke black history and anti-racism curriculum that complements the College of Policing minimum requirements and focuses on TVP history, experiences and lessons learnt.

The force also wants to make it mandatory for those hoping to be promoted to a supervisor role to take part in training to understand cultural differences within ethnic minority staff and communities.