No, the police are not ‘systemically racist’
A recent report on police strip searches of children has sparked debate about systemic racism in British policing. Critics argue that the statistics used to support claims of racism ignore important context regarding crime distribution and demographics. The article contends that policing is focused on high-crime areas, which often have distinct demographic profiles, making disparities in enforcement inevitable.
- ▪A report by the Children’s Commissioner for England highlighted that 35% of children strip searched were black, despite only 6% of the population being black.
- ▪The article argues that policing is concentrated in areas with high crime rates, which often have higher numbers of ethnic minorities.
- ▪It suggests that disparities in police activity do not necessarily indicate systemic racism, but rather reflect the realities of crime and demographics.
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No, the police are not ‘systemically racist’ The outrage over disproportionate strip searches performed on black teens ignores reality on the ground. i Picture by: Getty dataLayer.push({ event: 'author', author: "Paul Birch" }) Paul Birch 17th May 2026 i Picture by: Getty Share Topics UK Want unlimited, ad-free access? Become a spiked supporter. A report published in April by the Children’s Commissioner for England on the police’s record on strip searching children has caused tumult in elite circles.
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