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Police Race Action Plan
(PRAP) Explained

The Police Race Action Plan (PRAP) is a national framework designed to address race-related disparities, workforce experience, and confidence in policing systems. This guide provides a full, plain-English explanation of PRAP, including its workstreams, governance, evidence base, and practical impact.

Trust Notice: Independent, plain-English analysis of published policing policy and workforce data.

Not affiliated with any police force, staff association, or government body.

Updated: 25 February 2026

What is the Police Race Action Plan?

The Police Race Action Plan (PRAP) is a national policing reform programme focused on improving race equity, workforce experience, and confidence in policing systems. It uses evidence from workforce surveys, misconduct data, and public confidence measures to guide changes in leadership, training, professional standards, and accountability. PRAP does not replace misconduct regulations or impose guaranteed outcomes.

Why Was PRAP Introduced?

PRAP was introduced in response to long-standing evidence that race-related disparities in policing were not being resolved through isolated initiatives or complaint-led approaches.

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Persistent workforce dissatisfaction

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Low confidence in professional standards fairness

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Disparities in progression and representation

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Retention risk among under-represented officers

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A gap between formal policy and lived experience

PRAP was designed to address systems and culture, not individual blame.

Evidence That Informed PRAP

PRAP is explicitly evidence-led. Its priorities are informed by workforce surveys, misconduct and complaint data, HMICFRS inspections, community confidence data, and national reviews.

Explore Our Black Workforce Survey Hub

PRAP responds to patterns, not isolated cases.

How PRAP Is Governed

National

National leadership oversight, agreed standards, and monitoring mechanisms.

Local

Local force implementation. Forces retain operational independence.

PRAP establishes a shared national framework for assessing progress and risk.

PRAP Workstreams Explained

PRAP is structured around multiple interlinked workstreams. Each addresses a specific risk area identified by evidence.

1. Workforce Culture & Inclusion

Focus

  • • Belonging
  • • Psychological safety
  • • Everyday interactions
  • • Informal exclusion

PRAP Emphasis

  • → Leadership behaviours
  • → Team-level environments
  • → Early intervention

2. Professional Standards & Accountability

Focus

  • • Confidence in fairness
  • • Transparency of decisions
  • • Proportionality
  • • Learning vs discipline

PRAP Emphasis

  • → Narrowing perception gaps
  • → Improving explanation
  • → Strengthening trust
Read Deep Dive Analysis →

3. Training & Learning Environments

Focus

  • • Recruitment
  • • Initial training
  • • Early service
  • • Instructor conduct

PRAP Emphasis

  • → Safe learning environments
  • → Consistency in assessment
  • → Early cultural correction
Read Deep Dive Analysis →

4. Workforce Representation & Progression

Focus

  • • Progression confidence
  • • Access to development
  • • Informal networks
  • • Representation at senior levels

PRAP Emphasis

  • → Transparency
  • → Fair access
  • → Removing structural barriers

PRAP does not introduce quotas or guaranteed outcomes.

5. Retention & Wellbeing

Focus

  • • Exit intent
  • • Morale
  • • Long-term sustainability

PRAP Emphasis

  • → Addressing drivers of exit
  • → Improving confidence in leadership
  • → Stabilising retention

What PRAP Does Not Do

PRAP does not:

Change police powers Replace misconduct regulations Lower evidential thresholds Introduce quotas Guarantee promotion outcomes Override the Office of Constable

How PRAP Is Experienced Day-to-Day

Most officers encounter PRAP indirectly through leadership messaging, training content, supervision expectations, professional standards engagement, and cultural initiatives.

PRAP is ambient, not procedural.

PRAP and Retention Risk

PRAP does not directly control pay or workload. Its relevance to retention lies in trust, belonging, confidence in fairness, and career sustainability.

Retention stabilisation does not automatically equal cultural improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PRAP mandatory for forces?
PRAP sets national expectations, but implementation remains local.
Does PRAP affect individual misconduct cases?
No. PRAP operates at a systemic level.
Is PRAP about discipline?
PRAP focuses on systems, learning, and confidence — not punishment.
Who does PRAP apply to?
PRAP applies across forces, ranks, and functions at an organisational level.

Explore the PRAP Series

Series: Part 2

What PRAP Means for Serving Officers

Series: Part 3

PRAP and Professional Standards

Series: Part 4

PRAP, Training & Learning Environments

Series: Part 5

Is PRAP Working? What the Data Shows

PRAP Hub | Our Black Workforce Survey Hub