Police Race Action Plan

Police Race Action Plan

The Police Race Action Plan (PRAP) is the biggest coordinated effort ever across every police force in England and Wales to improve trust and confidence in policing among Black communities.  

The British Transport Police’s (BTP) plan is aligned to that of the National Police Chief Council (NPCC). BTP’s plan specifically aims to improve policing for Black communities that use and work on the railway and to address under representation in our own recruitment, retention and progression of Black people. Our ambition is to be an anti-racist police force. 

Racism continues to affect policing today, and building a stronger, more just relationship with Black communities is essential to ensuring safety without over-policing. The historical injustices, from the overt racism faced by the Windrush generation to the excessive policing that contributed to the 1981 Brixton riots, remain relevant today. Reports like Scarman (1981), Macpherson (1999), and Casey (2023) have highlighted ongoing racial disparities, yet meaningful progress has been slow. Data shows Black individuals are disproportionately stopped and searched or subjected to use of force by British Transport Police, raising concerns about fairness and accountability. While many Black adults support stop and search to tackle crime, there is significant concern about how these powers are applied in practice, with studies revealing its lasting negative and traumatic impact. Addressing these issues requires a deeper understanding of how policing affects Black communities and a commitment to meaningful change. 

The vision for British Transport Police (BTP) is to be an organisation that is anti-racist and trusted by Black people. 

BTP’s Police Race Action Plan – Improving Policing for Black People, supported by our Inclusion and Diversity strategy, aims to pave the way to becoming actively anti-racist. 

The Plan will inform operational policing practice, aiming to improve the experience and outcomes for Black people. Our aim is to learn from the experiences of our Black communities and employees to directly influence our policies and practices, so that Black communities do not feel over policed and under protected; to increase trust and confidence through a representative organisation that brings diversity of thought to our work and to ensure all our employees, irrespective of ethnicity, know how to play their part.