Police chief constables are sleep-walking into one of the gravest threats to the impartiality of British policing we have ever seen. To act ‘without fear or favour’ has been the bedrock of this country’s policing since Sir Robert Peel established the Metropolitan police almost 200 years ago. Yet, as the report published by Policy Exchange today shows, a cadre of naïve or political police chiefs have allowed an untenable position on so-called ‘staff networks’ to arise.

In February 2024, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) recognised twelve national staff networks through their ‘national staff network definition’ policy document. These groups are divided based on ‘protected characteristics’ – although it would be almost as accurate to say that they are divided on sectarian grounds. They include the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP), the National Sikh Police Association, the Hindu Police Association, the Christian Police Association, the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller Police Association and the National Black Police Association (NBPA). 

My previous research into police staff networks, published in January 2023, found that in addition to these twelve national bodies, there are around 200 locally based networks operating in police forces across the country. If these groups restrained themselves merely to providing internal support to their members, it might be possible to dismiss them as being just one of the many activities which distract police officers from fighting crime and disorder on our streets. While still problematic, this could be tackled through effective police leadership at a local level. However, several of these bodies go way beyond such limited objectives. 

These sectarian groups within policing should be in the last chance saloon

These sectarian groups within policing should be in the last chance saloon

The National Association of Muslim........

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