The impact of Values, Bias & Leadership on BME Representation in the Police

The purpose of this research is to critically examine whether the individual values and bias of police officers could be frustrating attempts to achieve black and ethnic minority (BME) representation within the police service, especially at senior levels. It focuses on the micro-individual level, examining perceptions, values and attitudes towards equality and diversity, unconscious bias and the impact of leadership in addressing these issues. The research highlights some potential barriers to achieving a representative police service at an individual rather than organizational level and makes a number of recommendations on the role of leaders, now and crucially in the future to fully embed equality and diversity into police culture to address under-representation. It concerns policing in England and Wales. There appears to be a dearth of studies examining the issue at the micro-individual level within British police organizations. The current, exploratory research study seeks to contribute to closing this gap.