Baroness Casey delivering the Casey review one year ago, in March 2023.
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The culture of the Metropolitan Police has “regressed” since the Casey Review was published, and it has become harder for Black officers, says the president of the largest Black police officers’ group.
The Casey Review, published in March 2023, concluded that the Metropolitan Police “tolerated” discrimination and found the force to be institutionally racist, homophobic and misogynistic.
Andrew George, the National Black Police Association (NBPA) president, told the London Assembly’s Crime and Police Committee that Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, had “actively avoided speaking or engaging” with the NBPA at events since the review and that “collaboration has not been received”.
Speaking before the London Policing Board, Commissioner Rowley said “considerable progress” was being made but it was slow.
“At the moment we are in the trenches, and we are just trying to get the basics in place”, said Sir Mark.
However, Andy George says that being in the police has “become more strained and difficult for our officers and staff from Black, Asian and minority backgrounds”.
Rowley: ‘there is a mountain to climb’
Commissioner Rowley explained that the recommendations from the Casey Review added to nearly 700 recommendations handed to the force by other regulatory bodies.
“I don’t want to over-claim, we are making a lot of progress, but there is a mountain to climb”, the Commissioner acknowledged. “I don’t want to give a sense that we are nearly there. We are not, there is a long way to go.”
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley speaking before the London Police Board. Credit: London Assembly
Dr. Yeun Joon Kim, researcher of organisational culture, says that the “power of culture is immense”. Reforming an organisation like the Metropolitan Police cannot happen quickly.
“Implementing substantial cultural change typically requires a significant amount of time, often spanning three to five years”, says Dr Kim.
Sophie Linden, Deputy Mayor for policing and crime, expressed her confidence in the “real” progress made in response to the Casey Review. Ms Linden acknowledged any transformation would take a “long, long time”.
In particular, she said that initial progression could be seen in internal misconduct reporting. This increased by 11% since March last year.
But, Andy George was less convinced and said there was “no clear changes in the systems” police operate in.
He said that there has been “a lot of activity” and “moving chess pieces” over the last year. He reminded the Crime and Police Committee of Baroness Casey’s warning against “initiative-itis”, action with no change.
What is the Casey Review?
The Casey report provides a comprehensive review of the culture and governance of the Metropolitan Police and focuses on misconduct in the force.
The review was commissioned after the death of Sarah Everard, which Baroness Casey said was both “avoidable” and “abhorrent”.
Metropolitan Police officers stand to attention outside New Scotland Yard. CREDIT: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Reflecting on the review, Director of the Independent Office for Police Conduct London (IOPC) Charmaine Arbouin said, as a Black woman, many of the report’s discrimination findings were not “new” to her. It was “wonderful to see [the findings] reflected in a formal review”.
The report presented eight conclusions:
Fundamental issues with how the Met is run: 82% white and 71% male.
Lack of integrity: “attract those who wish to abuse powers”.
Londoners put last: 12 units cover all 32 London boroughs.
Women and Children services neglected: “major inadequacies”.
Lacks accountability and transparency: “avoided scrutiny”.
Discrimination tolerated: 22% of staff & officers experienced bullying.
The stats:
Black officers were 81% more likely to face a misconduct hearing.
30% of LGBTQ+ employees experienced bullying.
Public trust in the force dropped to a low of 45% in March 2022.
The Casey Review concluded with sixteen different recommendations for the force.
One Year on: Recommendation Progress?
In preparation for the London Police Board meeting, the Police Commissioner published a quarterly report. This is directly addressing the progress that the force had made on Baroness Casey’s recommendations a year on.
Whilst all recommendations are still being enacted and pursued, the Commissioner’s report revealed that the extent of progress differed for each of Casey’s recommendation.
Evidence from the quarterly report showed that completed actions had been taken for five of Casey’s recommendations. For instance, to fulfil recommendation nine, a public apology was made, and every borough was visited to speak directly with Londoners.
For the final six recommendations, plans have been made for the future. However, the results of actions taken on six other recommendations are yet to be seen.
To fulfil recommendation ten, a new stop-and-search charter will be published in April, whilst a Child and Young Person strategy will be published ‘shortly’, in efforts to meet recommendation seven.
Is progress fast enough?
Speaking on her experience of interacting with the force since March 2023, Charmaine Arbouin says she is “surprised that there is still a level of resistance and belief that you can change things by command and control”.
Andy George echoes Arbouin’s concern and shares the experience of NBPA members who raised concerns about discrimination a month after the review was published.
They were told they had “a chip on their shoulder”, George says. “Those souls that come forward to relive their stories of racism, misogyny and homophobia, they were already being dismissed”.
In February 2024, the NBPA told ethnic minorities that they should boycott joining the Metropolitan Police out of continued concerns of institutional racism.
Professor Mike Rowe studies police culture and told City News about his concerns with the lack of progress after the Casey Review. He said focusing on “culture” lacked clarity.
The “use of the word ‘culture’ doesn’t actually clarify anything. Culture obscures something that we should be studying in greater detail. Saying it’s caused by culture is to say I don’t know what causes it, and I don’t know how to change it”, he says.
Rather, Professor Rowe says that progress should focus on easing pressures and demands placed on the London police force.
Commissioner Rowley acknowledged before the London Police Board that there is a danger that increased pressure “may shade decisions”.
Is change possible?
Dr Kim says that for an organisation the size of the Metropolitan Police, “noticeable improvements are not typically evident within the first year.
“From the very first day of these employees’ tenure in the Met Police, the organisation’s socialisation process begins.
“The challenge lies in the fact that socialisation often occurs unconsciously. As social beings, humans have a natural tendency to be attentive to the majority’s opinions and to conform to them.”
Public trust in the force dropped to a low of 45% in March 2022. Source: Associated Press
Dr Kim believes that finding the root of a concerning culture “won’t change it”. Cultural change must be enacted by leaders within the force.
He says visible signs of positive change “typically begin to emerge after two years of sustained effort.”
The Metropolitan Police plans to review the progress made on Baroness Casey’s recommendations next year, two years after being published.
City News contacted Commissioner Rowley’s office for comment.
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HeadlineCasey review anniversary: culture ‘more difficult’ Black police officers say
Short HeadlineCasey review anniversary: culture 'regressed' Black officers say
StandfirstThe president of the largest Black police officer group says the culture of the Metropolitan Police has 'regressed' one year after the Casey Review.
The culture of the Metropolitan Police has “regressed” since the Casey Review was published, and it has become harder for Black officers, says the president of the largest Black police officers’ group.
The Casey Review, published in March 2023, concluded that the Metropolitan Police “tolerated” discrimination and found the force to be institutionally racist, homophobic and misogynistic.
Andrew George, the National Black Police Association (NBPA) president, told the London Assembly’s Crime and Police Committee that Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, had “actively avoided speaking or engaging” with the NBPA at events since the review and that “collaboration has not been received”.
Speaking before the London Policing Board, Commissioner Rowley said “considerable progress” was being made but it was slow.
“At the moment we are in the trenches, and we are just trying to get the basics in place”, said Sir Mark.
However, Andy George says that being in the police has “become more strained and difficult for our officers and staff from Black, Asian and minority backgrounds”.
Rowley: ‘there is a mountain to climb’
Commissioner Rowley explained that the recommendations from the Casey Review added to nearly 700 recommendations handed to the force by other regulatory bodies.
“I don’t want to over-claim, we are making a lot of progress, but there is a mountain to climb”, the Commissioner acknowledged. “I don’t want to give a sense that we are nearly there. We are not, there is a long way to go.”
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley speaking before the London Police Board. Credit: London Assembly
Dr. Yeun Joon Kim, researcher of organisational culture, says that the “power of culture is immense”. Reforming an organisation like the Metropolitan Police cannot happen quickly.
“Implementing substantial cultural change typically requires a significant amount of time, often spanning three to five years”, says Dr Kim.
Sophie Linden, Deputy Mayor for policing and crime, expressed her confidence in the “real” progress made in response to the Casey Review. Ms Linden acknowledged any transformation would take a “long, long time”.
In particular, she said that initial progression could be seen in internal misconduct reporting. This increased by 11% since March last year.
But, Andy George was less convinced and said there was “no clear changes in the systems” police operate in.
He said that there has been “a lot of activity” and “moving chess pieces” over the last year. He reminded the Crime and Police Committee of Baroness Casey’s warning against “initiative-itis”, action with no change.
What is the Casey Review?
The Casey report provides a comprehensive review of the culture and governance of the Metropolitan Police and focuses on misconduct in the force.
The review was commissioned after the death of Sarah Everard, which Baroness Casey said was both “avoidable” and “abhorrent”.
Metropolitan Police officers stand to attention outside New Scotland Yard. CREDIT: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Reflecting on the review, Director of the Independent Office for Police Conduct London (IOPC) Charmaine Arbouin said, as a Black woman, many of the report’s discrimination findings were not “new” to her. It was “wonderful to see [the findings] reflected in a formal review”.
The report presented eight conclusions:
Fundamental issues with how the Met is run: 82% white and 71% male.
Lack of integrity: “attract those who wish to abuse powers”.
Londoners put last: 12 units cover all 32 London boroughs.
Women and Children services neglected: “major inadequacies”.
Lacks accountability and transparency: “avoided scrutiny”.
Discrimination tolerated: 22% of staff & officers experienced bullying.
The stats:
Black officers were 81% more likely to face a misconduct hearing.
30% of LGBTQ+ employees experienced bullying.
Public trust in the force dropped to a low of 45% in March 2022.
The Casey Review concluded with sixteen different recommendations for the force.
One Year on: Recommendation Progress?
In preparation for the London Police Board meeting, the Police Commissioner published a quarterly report. This is directly addressing the progress that the force had made on Baroness Casey’s recommendations a year on.
Whilst all recommendations are still being enacted and pursued, the Commissioner’s report revealed that the extent of progress differed for each of Casey’s recommendation.
Evidence from the quarterly report showed that completed actions had been taken for five of Casey’s recommendations. For instance, to fulfil recommendation nine, a public apology was made, and every borough was visited to speak directly with Londoners.
For the final six recommendations, plans have been made for the future. However, the results of actions taken on six other recommendations are yet to be seen.
To fulfil recommendation ten, a new stop-and-search charter will be published in April, whilst a Child and Young Person strategy will be published ‘shortly’, in efforts to meet recommendation seven.
Is progress fast enough?
Speaking on her experience of interacting with the force since March 2023, Charmaine Arbouin says she is “surprised that there is still a level of resistance and belief that you can change things by command and control”.
Andy George echoes Arbouin’s concern and shares the experience of NBPA members who raised concerns about discrimination a month after the review was published.
They were told they had “a chip on their shoulder”, George says. “Those souls that come forward to relive their stories of racism, misogyny and homophobia, they were already being dismissed”.
In February 2024, the NBPA told ethnic minorities that they should boycott joining the Metropolitan Police out of continued concerns of institutional racism.
Professor Mike Rowe studies police culture and told City News about his concerns with the lack of progress after the Casey Review. He said focusing on “culture” lacked clarity.
The “use of the word ‘culture’ doesn’t actually clarify anything. Culture obscures something that we should be studying in greater detail. Saying it’s caused by culture is to say I don’t know what causes it, and I don’t know how to change it”, he says.
Rather, Professor Rowe says that progress should focus on easing pressures and demands placed on the London police force.
Commissioner Rowley acknowledged before the London Police Board that there is a danger that increased pressure “may shade decisions”.
Is change possible?
Dr Kim says that for an organisation the size of the Metropolitan Police, “noticeable improvements are not typically evident within the first year.
“From the very first day of these employees’ tenure in the Met Police, the organisation’s socialisation process begins.
“The challenge lies in the fact that socialisation often occurs unconsciously. As social beings, humans have a natural tendency to be attentive to the majority’s opinions and to conform to them.”
Public trust in the force dropped to a low of 45% in March 2022. Source: Associated Press
Dr Kim believes that finding the root of a concerning culture “won’t change it”. Cultural change must be enacted by leaders within the force.
He says visible signs of positive change “typically begin to emerge after two years of sustained effort.”
The Metropolitan Police plans to review the progress made on Baroness Casey’s recommendations next year, two years after being published.
City News contacted Commissioner Rowley’s office for comment.
