Abstract
This legal report examines the issue of police brutality in the United Kingdom. The report
explores the causes and consequences of police brutality in the UK, and analyzes the legal
framework guiding law enforcement activities in the UK, as well as the international legal
framework guiding law enforcement activities. The report critically analyzes the current legal
framework and proposes solutions to address the issue of police brutality in the UK.
This legal report aims to explore the issue of police brutality in the UK, and to provide an
overview of the legal framework guiding law enforcement activities, both nationally and
internationally.
2. Introduction
Police brutality is a serious issue that affects society as a whole, and has negative consequences
for both law enforcement agencies and the general public. Over the past few years, the USA has
been on the spotlight and characterized for police brutality against black people such as George
Floyd and Breona Taylor. 1 Although the United States receives more attention than the United
Kingdom when it comes to police brutality, there have been several high-profile incidents of it
there in recent years, raising questions about the use of excessive force by law enforcement.
Police brutality has been documented despite there being secrecy surrounding it especially with
the rise of social media. 2 Just like in the USA, most of the cases of police brutality in the UK are
strongly influenced by racial prejudice towards minorities. According to information from the
National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), there were 1,177 occurrences of suspected police-
inflicted violence, including sexual harassment and assault, registered between October 2021 and
April 2022. The majority of the cases—653 (55%) —were conduct issues, which are typically
brought up by a fellow officer. The remaining 524 cases (45%) involved public complaints. 3
3. Causes of Police Brutality in the UK
There are a number of factors that contribute to police brutality in the UK, including the use of
excessive force, racial profiling, and lack of accountability. 4 In recent years, there has been a
growing concern about the militarization of police forces, which has led to an increased use of
force by law enforcement officers. 5 Additionally, there has been a culture of impunity
1 “Guide: Police Brutality in the UK” (A News Education, February 4, 2021)
https://www.anewseducation.com/post/police-brutality-in-the-uk accessed 21 April 2023
2 2 “Guide: Police Brutality in the UK” (A News Education, February 4, 2021)
https://www.anewseducation.com/post/police-brutality-in-the-uk accessed 21 April 2023
3 Hall R, “More than 1,500 UK Police Officers Accused of Violence against Women in Six Months” (the Guardian,
March 14, 2023) https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/mar/14/more-than-1500-uk-police-officers-
accused-of-violence-against-women-in-six-months accessed 21 April 2023
4 Joseph–Salisbury, R., Connelly, L. and Wangari-Jones, P. (2021), "“The UK is not innocent”: Black Lives Matter,
policing and abolition in the UK", Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Vol. 40 No. 1, pp. 21-28.
https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-06-2020-0170 accessed 21 April 2023
5 “Police ‘Warrior Culture’ Makes US-Style Police Brutality a UK Problem Too – University of Birmingham”
(University of Birmingham, June 21, 2022) https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2023/police-warrior-culture-
makes-us-style-police-brutality-a-uk-problem-too accessed 21 April 2023
surrounding police officers who engage in abusive behavior, which contributes to a lack of
accountability and transparency.
Additionally, there is also a culture of systemic bullying and covering up by the management
which is mostly run by men in an attempt to protect the perpetrators who are mostly men.
Gemma MacRae, a former police officer said that After accusing her ex-partner, who was also a
police officer, of domestic abuse, she was singled out by a "boys’ club" of coworkers at the
Forres police station in Moray. She claimed that as the intimidation grew worse, her superiors
did nothing to protect her. 6
4. Consequences of Police Brutality in the UK
Police brutality in the UK has serious repercussions that can affect people personally as well as
the entire society. Police brutality victims may sustain bodily harm, psychological distress, and a
loss of confidence in legal authorities. Police brutality can also damage the public’s confidence in
law enforcement organizations, resulting in a breakdown in the relationship between those
officers and the communities they protect. This distrust by the public in the police has also led to
distrust of the public by the police.
One victim in the Carrick case, for instance, called him evil during the sentencing hearing, and
other victims said that he destroyed their lives or made them feel suicidal. 7 According to Judge
Cheema-Grubb, there was strong and convincing evidence of irreparable destruction in the lives
of individuals that Carrick abused. The Judge further stated that common feelings include denial,
rage, wrath, betrayal, embarrassment, self-blame, and dread of being called a victim. She further
stated that Carrick had molded their life and taken away their capacity to have connections and
have faith in men and that some people experience loneliness and mental health problems and
they keep doubting their own judgement. Moreover, such victims do not have faith in the police. 8
Sarah Everard died and could have been saved if police had acted on reports of serving Met
officer Wayne Couzens exposing himself to other victims. Despite one of the victims together
with her manager reporting Couzens for indecent exposure and providing his vehicle registration
number and credit card number, the victim was only involved after Sarah Everard was murdered
by Couzens. 9
6 Brooks L, “Former Officer Accuses Police Scotland of ‘Cover-up’ Attitude to Misogyny” (the Guardian, October 31,
2022) https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/oct/31/former-officer-accuses-police-scotland-of-cover-up-
attitude-to-misogyny accessed 21 April 2023
7 Dodd V and Sinmaz E, “David Carrick Jailed for Life over Series of Rapes While Met Police Officer” (the Guardian,
February 7, 2023) https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/feb/07/david-carrick-jailed-life-rapes-met-police-
officer accessed 21 April 2023
8 Dodd V and Sinmaz E, “David Carrick Jailed for Life over Series of Rapes While Met Police Officer” (the Guardian,
February 7, 2023) https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/feb/07/david-carrick-jailed-life-rapes-met-police-
officer accessed 21 April 2023
9 Sinmaz E, “‘We Could Have Saved Sarah,’ Says Victim of Wayne Couzens’s Indecent Exposure” (the Guardian,
March 6, 2023) https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/mar/06/we-could-have-saved-sarah-says-victim-of-
wayne-couzens-indecent-exposure accessed 21 April 2023
Further to the above, police brutality has a significant repercussion on the tax payer as all civil
claims against the police has to be offset by the tax payer’s money. A noteworthy example is the
roughly £1 million in damages paid by Police Scotland in May 2022 to former weapons officer
Rhona Malone after an employment tribunal determined that she had been victimized by a
"horrific" boys’ club mentality in the elite armed response section of the force. 10
5. Legal Framework Guiding Law Enforcement Activities in the UK
The legal framework guiding law enforcement activities in the UK is complex, and includes a
number of different laws and regulations that govern the behavior of law enforcement officers.
These laws include the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, the Human Rights Act 1998, and
the Common Law. In addition, law enforcement agencies are subject to oversight by independent
bodies, including the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) which is responsible for
handling complaints lodged against police officers in England and Wales.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is the body responsible for
investigating crimes committed by the police in the UK. The IPCC also has its regulations and
works closely with the Crown Protection Services (CPS) to investigate the conduct involving the
police. The Police and Evidence Code was also implemented in 2009 to dissuade police officers
from stereotyping citizens solely based on their colour.
The Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020, was amended to change the definition of misconduct
and broaden the definition of a complaint and is currently in place to govern internal conduct
issues. The Police Reform Act of 2002 and the Police (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations
of 2020 (the "Complaints Regulations") govern how police complaints from the general public,
recordable conduct issues, and death or serious injury (DSI) situations are handled. 11
6. International Legal Framework Guiding Law Enforcement Activities in the UK
In addition to the national legal framework, there is also an international legal framework that
guides law enforcement activities in the UK. This includes international human rights law, such
as the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) 12 and the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights (ICCPR). 13 These international agreements place obligations on the UK
government to ensure that law enforcement agencies operate in compliance with human rights
norms and standards.
10 Brooks L, “Former Officer Accuses Police Scotland of ‘Cover-up’ Attitude to Misogyny” (the Guardian, October 31,
2022) https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/oct/31/former-officer-accuses-police-scotland-of-cover-up-
attitude-to-misogyny accessed 21 April 2023
11 “Police Misconduct, England and Wales Year Ending 31 March 2022” (GOV.UK)
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-misconduct-england-and-wales-year-ending-31-march-
2022/police-misconduct-england-and-wales-year-ending-31-march-2022 accessed 21 April 2023
12 Council of Europe, European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, as
amended by Protocols Nos. 11 and 14, 4 November 1950, ETS 5, available at:
https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b3b04.html accessed 21 April 2023
13 United Nations (General Assembly). 1966. “International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.” Treaty Series 999
(December): 171
7. Critical Analysis of the Legal Framework
Despite the existence of a legal framework guiding law enforcement activities in the UK, there
are still significant gaps and weaknesses in the system that contribute to police brutality. One of
the key issues is the lack of accountability and transparency in the system, which allows law
enforcement officers to engage in abusive behavior without fear of consequences. Additionally,
there are gaps in training and education for law enforcement officers on issues such as human
rights, diversity, and community policing.
8. Proposed Solutions
To address the issue of police brutality in the UK, a number of proposed solutions have been put
forward. These include improving oversight and accountability mechanisms for law enforcement
agencies, increasing training and education for law enforcement officers on issues such as human
rights and diversity, and engaging with communities to build trust and improve communication
between law enforcement officers and the public.
Police officials have asked the Home Office to reinforce current laws, including prohibiting
those who have been cautioned or convicted for this kind of offense from policing and re-vetting
those who have been charged with similar offenses. Additionally, faster misconduct hearings are
advised for chief constables to use. 14
Only 43 police forces with a reasonable amount of national oversight exist in England and Wales
compared to over 18,000 mostly independent police departments in the US. Therefore, the UK is
in a unique position to start important and dramatic national changes. To do this, UK policing
must alter the procedures it uses to recruit, train, assess, assign, monitor, oversee, reprimand, and
fire its officers. 15
There should also be a law requiring police to report deaths of arrested people in custody. There
should also be a system in place to evaluate an individual officer’s work ethic which will be
helpful to warn the management of any suspicious conduct of a police officer. There should also
be screening of new members of the police which will start with a criminal record check. Proper
screening of new members will ensure that aggressive applicants are not recruited.
Support groups should be established so as to help victims of police brutality. In Barnsley, a
survivor support group, Resolute, helps women who have suffered domestic abuse. 16
9. Conclusion
14 Hall R, “More than 1,500 UK Police Officers Accused of Violence against Women in Six Months” (the Guardian,
March 14, 2023) https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/mar/14/more-than-1500-uk-police-officers-
accused-of-violence-against-women-in-six-months accessed 21 April 2023
15 “Police ‘Warrior Culture’ Makes US-Style Police Brutality a UK Problem Too – University of Birmingham”
(University of Birmingham, June 21, 2022) https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2023/police-warrior-culture-
makes-us-style-police-brutality-a-uk-problem-too accessed 21 April 2023
16 “Over 1,500 Police Accused of Violence against Women and Girls” (BBC News) https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-
64915126 accessed on 21 April 2023
Police brutality is a serious issue that has negative consequences for both individuals and society
as a whole. To address this issue, it is essential to address the underlying causes of police
brutality, and to strengthen the legal framework guiding law enforcement activities in the UK.
This report has provided an overview of the causes and consequences of police brutality in the
UK, as well as the legal framework guiding law enforcement activities. It has also proposed
solutions to address the issue of police brutality in the UK, and to improve the relationship
between law enforcement officers and the public.
Bibliography
“Guide: Police Brutality in the UK” (A News Education, February 4, 2021)
https://www.anewseducation.com/post/police-brutality-in-the-uk accessed 21 April 2023
Hall R, “More than 1,500 UK Police Officers Accused of Violence against Women in Six
Months” (the Guardian, March 14, 2023) https://www.theguardian.com/uk-
news/2023/mar/14/more-than-1500-uk-police-officers-accused-of-violence-against-women-in-
six-months accessed 21 April 2023
Joseph–Salisbury, R., Connelly, L. and Wangari-Jones, P. (2021), "“The UK is not innocent”:
Black Lives Matter, policing and abolition in the UK", Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Vol. 40
No. 1, pp. 21-28. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-06-2020-0170 accessed 21 April 2023
“Police ‘Warrior Culture’ Makes US-Style Police Brutality a UK Problem Too – University of
Birmingham” (University of Birmingham, June 21, 2022)
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2023/police-warrior-culture-makes-us-style-police-
brutality-a-uk-problem-too accessed 21 April 2023
Brooks L, “Former Officer Accuses Police Scotland of ‘Cover-up’ Attitude to Misogyny” (the
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accuses-police-scotland-of-cover-up-attitude-to-misogyny accessed 21 April 2023
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officer accessed 21 April 2023
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march-2022/police-misconduct-england-and-wales-year-ending-31-march-2022 accessed 21
April 2023
Council of Europe, European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental
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https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b3b04.html accessed 21 April 2023
United Nations (General Assembly). 1966. “International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights.” Treaty Series 999 (December): 171
“Over 1,500 Police Accused of Violence against Women and Girls” (BBC News)
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-64915126 accessed on 21 April 2023
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