British police forces have spent approximately £631 million on diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives since 2020, according to a report by the Policy Exchange think tank. The expenditure, which followed the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2020, has sparked debate over police priorities and resource allocation.

The report’s author, David Spencer, a former Metropolitan Police detective chief inspector and head of crime and justice at Policy Exchange, argues that the funds used for DEI programs could have been redirected to frontline policing. He estimates that the amount spent could have funded around 2,000 additional officers each year or provided 8.3 million hours of operational policing focused on crime issues like knife crime, burglary, robbery, and violence against women and girls.

According to the analysis, £431 million of the total was spent on manpower costs associated with training, £177 million on internal roles related to DEI, and £23 million on external training and consultancy services. Spencer criticizes the presence of “anti-racism” ideologies within policing, describing them as a departure from the principle of acting “without fear or favour.” He contends that some police chiefs have imposed these policies without parliamentary or governmental mandates, leading to what he terms a “radical obsession” with DEI, at the expense of crime-fighting efforts.

The Policy Exchange report highlights that 73 percent of UK police forces have developed their own local race action plans, with 87 percent incorporating explicit anti-racist commitments. These developments stem from the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) Police Race Action Plan published in 2022, which advocates for treating individuals according to their specific needs rather than adopting a “colour blind” approach to equality.

The report also raises concerns about what it describes as “two-tier” or “differential” policing, citing cases such as the Nottingham stabbings, the Southport murders, and the killing of Henry Nowak. In the Nowak case, the 18-year-old was handcuffed by police as he lay dying after being stabbed, following false allegations of racist abuse by the perpetrator. The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating the officers involved for potential misconduct. Critics argue that the fear of being labeled racist might influence policing decisions, potentially undermining justice and public safety.

While the report calls for legislative changes, including the introduction of a “Police Impartiality Act” and the elimination of the national race action plan, some statistics underline ongoing disparities. A 2024 government report indicated black people in England and Wales are more than twice as likely to be arrested compared to white people, and a recent study by the Children’s Commissioner found black children are eight times more likely to be strip-searched than their white counterparts.

A Home Office spokesperson affirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring police perform their duties “without fear or favour” and treat all individuals equally and without discrimination, regardless of ethnicity. Meanwhile, opponents of the Policy Exchange report argue that DEI initiatives are essential to addressing systemic issues within policing and that reducing these efforts could ignore ongoing racial disparities and hamper efforts to build community trust. The NPCC has stated it is reviewing the Police Race Action Plan following concerns raised by the policing minister about its interpretation and impact.

The debate continues over how to balance resource allocation between community relations and frontline crime fighting in British policing.