Watchdog finds Police Race Action Plan failed to deliver on anti-racism aims

A new watchdog report has found that police leaders across England and Wales have failed to deliver meaningful progress in tackling racism, citing a lack of clear and consistent leadership at a national level. The findings relate to commitments made in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, when policing bodies pledged to address racial bias and improve experiences for Black communities.

Five years on, the review concludes that the police race action plan has had no “meaningful impact”, raising serious concerns about accountability and the effectiveness of reform efforts. The report highlights that, despite strong initial commitments, there has been limited evidence of real change in outcomes for Black people interacting with policing.

The watchdog’s findings point to structural issues within policing, including fragmented leadership and a lack of coordinated national direction. This has led to inconsistent implementation across forces, undermining efforts to tackle systemic racism and rebuild trust with Black communities.

The report has prompted calls for stronger government intervention and more robust oversight to ensure that anti-racism commitments translate into measurable action. It reinforces ongoing concerns that without decisive leadership and accountability, long-standing inequalities in policing will persist.

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