EU Agency Publishes Report on Racism in Policing

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) published its first ever European Union-wide report on racism in policing which highlights “deep structural issues.” FRA’s Director, Sirpa Rautio, states that “incidents of ethnic profiling and excessive use of force are expressions of racism in policing that EU countries need to address.” 

A few key policy recommendations the report lays out include collecting data on police misconduct. According to the report, most EU countries do not collect official data on racist incidents involving the police. Furthermore, EU countries should also regularly publish data on such incidents. 

Another recommendation is to ensure oversight and to protect whistleblowers. “Whistleblowers fear retaliation, as they find it difficult to report incidents in a secure and confidential manner,” the report states.

Finally, the report calls on EU states to provide additional training and increase the diversity of their police forces. They argue that a diverse police force better represents the society they are charged to protect, and therefore is crucial for “effective and trustful policing.”  

“…Racist practices erode people’s trust and risks fuelling exclusion in our societies. We call on EU countries and police authorities to take urgent action to stamp out racism in policing” says FRA Director Rautio. 

To download the report, visit the website of the FRA.