Our Black Workforce
Survey – Wave 3
The definitive, independent explanation of the 2026 findings across culture, discrimination, misconduct and retention.
Executive Summary
Wave 3 presents a complex, "mixed picture" for policing. While retention intent has slightly improved, the cultural environment creating that retention risk remains largely unchanged.
Key Findings
- Retention Stabilising: Fewer officers intend to leave immediately compared to Wave 2.
- Overt Racism Reduced: Direct, overt incidents appear to be declining.
Critical Risks
- Subtle Exclusion: Microaggressions and exclusion are replacing overt harm.
- Confidence Gap: Trust in internal misconduct processes remains critically low.
Reading The Data
Stabilisation, Not Resolution
Wave 3 should be interpreted as a stabilisation phase rather than a resolution phase. Some headline indicators show marginal improvement, particularly around short-term retention intent. However, the underlying cultural and systemic factors that drive dissatisfaction remain largely unchanged.
In several areas, risk has not reduced but shifted in form, moving from overt incidents towards subtler patterns of exclusion, disengagement, and concealment.
How Wave 3 Compares to Earlier Surveys
While Wave 3 presents new data, its significance lies in how it compares to earlier survey waves.
Culture Gap
Pride in policing remains consistently higher than feelings of belonging.
Internal Justice
Confidence in internal misconduct processes remains critically low.
Progression
Perceptions of unequal access to development and promotion persist.
Wave 3 confirms that while some surface indicators have shifted, the underlying experience of many respondents remains consistent with patterns first identified in Wave 1 and reinforced in Wave 2.
About the Survey
About Wave 3 (2026)
Commissioned by the College of Policing as part of the Police Race Action Plan (PRAP), this survey is the national barometer for the lived experience of Black officers and staff. It moves beyond "complaint data" to track the reality of workplace culture, discrimination, and the structural barriers that define career progression.
Methodology & Demographics
The 19 percent response rate reflects voluntary engagement across all 43 Home Office forces. While participation levels varied by role and force, the demographic spread mirrors earlier waves closely enough to allow meaningful trend comparison.
The inclusion of police officers, police staff, and PCSOs provides a broad picture of workforce experience, highlighting that many cultural and structural issues are not confined to a single role type.
Sample Size
Across all 43 Home Office forces
Respondent Profile
The Representation Gap
Under-representation at senior ranks has implications beyond numbers alone. Limited visibility of Black officers in senior leadership roles affects perceptions of fairness, progression opportunity, and institutional credibility.
The absence of representation at Chief Officer level reinforces a perception among respondents that progression barriers are structural rather than individual, particularly when combined with reported experiences of bias and unequal access to development opportunities.
Workplace Culture & Belonging
Wave 3 reinforces a recurring theme across the survey series. Pride in policing reflects commitment to public service and professional identity. Belonging reflects daily lived experience within teams.
The persistence of this gap suggests that professional motivation alone does not mitigate feelings of exclusion. Where individuals report positive experiences, many describe themselves as exceptions rather than beneficiaries of a consistently inclusive culture.
Professional Value
Proud to represent their community.
Pride Without Inclusion
Wave 3 reinforces a recurring theme across the survey series. Pride in policing reflects commitment to public service and professional identity. Belonging reflects daily lived experience within teams.
The persistence of this gap suggests that professional motivation alone does not mitigate feelings of exclusion. Where individuals report positive experiences, many describe themselves as exceptions rather than beneficiaries of a consistently inclusive culture.
Risk Factor: "The Exception"
Even where individuals report positive experiences, many acknowledge they are exceptions, not the norm.
"I have had positive experiences… but I know from speaking to others that I am very much the exception."
Discrimination remains a dual threat, coming from both the public and colleagues.
The Role of Bystanders
A critical finding in Wave 3 is the dynamic of witnessing discrimination. When colleagues witness discriminatory behavior and take no action, it reinforces a culture of impunity and further isolates the individual affected.
The "inaction rate" among bystanders suggests that while individual awareness might be increasing, institutional confidence to challenge behavior remains low. This creates a psychological environment where witnessed harm becomes an accepted norm.
From the Public
Experienced racial discrimination in the last 12 months.
Bystander Apathy
colleagues discriminating against the public.
From Colleagues
Of those affected experienced microaggressions in the last 12 months.
Professional Standards
This is a critical area for the Police Race Action Plan. Trust in the fairness of internal justice remains fragile.
The Trust Gap in Internal Justice
Low confidence in Professional Standards Departments (PSD) is often driven by a perceived "outcome void." When internal processes are opaque or slow, respondents are less likely to believe that reporting discrimination will lead to meaningful resolution.
This lack of trust is not just about the final outcome, but the perceived bias within the investigative process itself. The fact that 65% of those who faced misconduct believe race played a role highlights a profound systemic legitimacy crisis.
Career Progression
Progression remains a significant frustration, with a perceived "Harder Work Tax" applied to Black officers seeking promotion.
Progression as a Retention Lever
Career advancement is more than just a professional milestone; it is a primary driver of retention. For many respondents, the decision to stay or leave policing is directly tied to whether they believe the "glass ceiling" for Black officers is being actively dismantled.
When progression is perceived as being tied to "who you know" rather than "what you do," it erodes the commitment of high-potential individuals. Strengthening transparent, merit-based pathways is therefore critical to preventing the talent drain identified in the retention data.
The "Harder Work" Tax
72% of respondents feel they have to work harder or longer than their white colleagues to get the same recognition.
Retention Risk Factors
56% of respondents have considered leaving in the last 12 months. While slightly down from Wave 1 (67%), precise data on why they leave is now clearer.
Staying Does Not Always Mean Thriving
A reduction in the number of people considering leaving should not be mistaken for a wholesale improvement in experience. Many respondents report staying due to financial necessity or a commitment to public service, despite ongoing dissatisfaction with workplace culture.
This "endurance-based retention" poses its own risks, including higher levels of burn-out and a withdrawal of discretionary effort. Long-term health of the workforce requires moving from a culture where people "survive" to one where they can authentically thrive.
Push Factors (Leaving)
- • Health & Wellbeing 51%
- • Lack of Progression 47%
- • Lack of Recognition 42%
- • Pay & Benefits 41%
Pull Factors (Staying)
- • Financial Necessity 49%
- • Public Service 45%
- • Desire to Progress 42%
Officer Hub & Tools
Explore our collection of interactive tools designed to help serving officers navigate pay, pensions, and career rights.
View Officer ToolsSupport & Positive Action
While individual line manager support is high, confidence in institutional "Positive Action" schemes remains extremely low.
Line Managers
Generally seen as supportive on wellbeing.
Positive Action
Often seen as "box-ticking" or lacking follow-through.
What Wave 3
Ultimately Tells Us
Wave 3 marks a transition point in the national conversation on policing and race. The data shows a workforce that is deeply proud of its role but remains cautious about its environment.
The findings make it clear that culture is not a set of policies, but a collection of daily interactions. The gap between pride and belonging, the persistence of the "harder work tax," and the trust gap in internal justice all point to a need for sustained, cultural change rather than short-term interventions.
"While visibility is increasing, the harder work of achieving true equity and inclusion is just beginning."
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Our Black Workforce Survey?
The Our Black Workforce Survey is a national dataset examining the lived experience of Black officers and staff across UK policing. Wave 3 (2026) builds on earlier surveys from 2022 and 2023.
Who took part in Wave 3?
Wave 3 received 1,307 responses from Black officers and police staff across UK forces. The survey was anonymous and self-reported.
Does this apply to all forces?
While not every force is statistically represented in equal measure, the consistency of findings across waves strengthens the reliability of the national trends identified.
Has anything improved since earlier waves?
Fewer respondents report an intention to leave compared to earlier waves, and overt racist incidents appear to have reduced. However, feelings of belonging have not improved, and subtle exclusion remains widespread.
How should this data be interpreted?
This data represents lived experience and perception. It highlights cultural themes and barriers that may not be captured in formal complaint data.
Does Wave 3 show that the Police Race Action Plan has worked?
Wave 3 shows that while the PRAP has successfully established a baseline for measurement and identified critical risks, the work of systemic cultural change is in its early stages. Improvements in some retention indicators suggest that individual support mechanisms are functioning, but persistent gaps in belonging and trust in internal justice emphasize that the most challenging aspects of the plan have yet to be fully resolved.