Addressing racism in policing

Racism in the police ranges from discriminatory racial profiling practices to excessive use of force. Repetitive incidents like these highlight the deeper structural issues that need to be uprooted from policing across the EU. Everyone in society is affected by racism in policing, not only the individuals or communities targeted. Lack of trust in policing fuels social exclusion and damages the foundations of a fair and equal society. This is the first EU-wide report on racism in policing. FRA's findings identify gaps in regulatory frameworks and proposes concrete steps for action. EU countries should ensure that their police forces comply with anti-racism provisions in EU and international law. Member States should collect data on racist incidents. They should enable whistle-blowers to report misconduct without negative consequences and ensure independent oversight. Police forces should be more diverse to represent the communities they serve. They should receive more guidance to prevent racism in their work. Through this report, FRA supports EU countries to make a decisive effort in tackling racism in policing.