The institutional racism in the Metropolitan Police: Why decades of reform have failed?

The document, titled “30 Patterns of Harm” and compiled by Shereen Daniels using internal Metropolitan Police evidence, reveals that racial discrimination is deeply embedded within the administrative, operational, and behavioral frameworks of the UK’s largest police force. It further concludes that previous so-called “reform efforts” have failed to dismantle these systemic problems.

Building on the explosive 2023 report by independent government inspector Louise Casey, which described the Met as “institutionally racist”, Daniels’ findings reaffirm that racism within the force is not a matter of isolated incidents or individual prejudice, but rather a byproduct of entrenched internal systems and culture — rooted in training, supervision, and policy-making.

Speaking to The Guardian, Daniels said the investigation’s purpose was “not to condemn individuals, but to expose the structures that perpetuate racial harm.” She pointed to the police’s treatment of Black people, especially through controversial “stop and search” operations, adding:

“In the Metropolitan Police, being Black is itself treated as grounds for suspicion — the streets have become zones of selective control.”

Meanwhile, the National Black Police Association issued a strongly worded statement, accusing senior officers of maintaining a “culture of denial” that obstructs real change. The group also accused Met Commissioner Mark Rowley of building “a wall of like-minded allies” who appear to support reform but in reality, preserve the discriminatory status quo.

In response, Rowley claimed that the force is “implementing programs to make the Met an anti-racist institution.” However, London Mayor Sadiq Khan countered that progress has been insufficient, urging for faster and deeper reforms to confront racial bias, stressing that “no form of discrimination can be tolerated.”

The Met Police has faced repeated scandals over the past two decades — from racial profiling and violence to sexual misconduct. The 1999 Macpherson Report first branded the force as “institutionally racist”, a conclusion reaffirmed 24 years later by Louise Casey.

Yet, the controversies persist. The BBC recently exposed racist, misogynistic, and unethical behavior among officers at Charing Cross police station, despite the Met’s pledge to conduct a “sweeping internal cleanup.” Critics continue to highlight the slow and superficial nature of reforms.

Experts, civil rights advocates, and even former government officials warn that efforts to combat institutional racism in the Metropolitan Police remain trapped in a cycle of inertia, deepening Britain’s ongoing public trust crisis in law enforcement.