The Professionalism and Trust Committee (Police) is scheduled to meet on Monday 02 February 2026 to review several updates on the City of London Police's operations and professional standards. Key discussions are expected to cover equity, diversity, and inclusivity initiatives, professional standards and vetting, and updates on stop and search and use of force.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) Update

The committee will receive an update on the City of London Police's ongoing work in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI). The report details progress against the EDI Strategy 2024-2027, focusing on performance against prioritised actions. It highlights achievements such as the refresh of the Youth Independent Advisory Group (YIAG) and the establishment of an Ethics Panel. The update also covers the delivery of the 'Inclusivity Programme', with an increase in module attendance and completion rates across the force. The report notes that nine high-priority actions are continuing into the next year, with reasons including the ongoing evaluation of programmes like the Police Race Action Plan Maturity Matrix and adaptations to the Violence Against Women and Girls Delivery Plan. A new performance framework is being developed to assess the force's performance against its EDI ambitions, aligning with the four pillars of the EDI Strategy: Our People, Our Policies, Our Public, and Our Partners. The report also details the progress of the Inclusivity Programme modules delivered between October and December 2025, including events held during Black History Month and White Ribbon Day, and provides compliance data across different directorates, genders, ethnicities, and ranks.

Professional Standards, Conduct, and Vetting Update Q3

This agenda item will provide an update on professional standards, conduct, and vetting for the third quarter of 2025/26. The report indicates a decrease in the overall volume of complaints compared to the previous quarter, with figures remaining below the national average. There has been an increase in new conduct cases recorded. The report also notes a number of officers subject to long-term suspension due to misconduct cases being sub judice, awaiting the outcomes of criminal investigations. It is anticipated that this may lead to four Gross Misconduct hearings in the next six months. The Professional Standards Department is preparing for a HMICFRS Integrity Inspection, with progress being made against recommendations from a readiness assessment. The vetting action plan also shows progress, with a high percentage of actions reported as completed, although some significant pieces of work remain, including the implementation of open-source software for social media checks and data cleansing. The report also outlines engagement activities, including listening circles and the publication of the Professionalism newsletter, which reinforces standards of behaviour and conduct.

Stop & Search and Use of Force Quarter 3 Update and 2024/2025 Annual Comparisons

This report provides an update on stop and search activity and the use of force during the third quarter of 2025, alongside annual comparisons for 2024/2025. Overall searches have continued to fall, with a notable decrease in searches of young people. Outcome rates remain close to the 50% working rate. The report highlights slight increases in searches of individuals identified as Black, Asian, or other ethnicities, which are considered within normal quarterly variations. Annual comparisons show a continued fall in stop and search numbers, with a significant reduction in searches of young people. The report addresses an increase in disproportionality, particularly for Black individuals, which is largely attributed to the City of London Police's assistance at Notting Hill Carnival, where a Section 60 authority was in place. This operation is described as successful, resulting in weapon seizures and no lives lost. The report also includes data on the use of force, with figures for December 2025 manually counted due to data coding issues. Disproportionality in the use of force for 2024 and 2025 is also presented.

Annual Custody Update

This report provides an annual overview of custody functions and activities within the City of London over the past 12 months, covering January to December 2025. It includes data on detainee numbers, vulnerability, use of force, juveniles, and strip searching, as well as updates on custody culture and training. The report notes a 7% reduction in overall custody demand compared to 2024, consistent with a reduction in recorded crime and an increase in voluntary attendance cases, indicating a move towards alternatives to arrest. Bail demand remains high, with a low use of Released Under Investigation (RUI). To address this, a pilot for a dedicated Bail Manager role is planned for Spring 2026. The report details the complexities and vulnerabilities of detainees, with consistent numbers of individuals presenting with mental health and substance-related issues. It highlights the success of the embedded healthcare service provided by PHL Group and ongoing work with Liaison and Diversion services. The report also addresses the safeguarding of vulnerable detainees, with specific focus on children and young people, and ongoing work to ensure appropriate support for individuals with substance misuse problems. The report confirms that significant progress has been made against recommendations from the 2018 HMICFRS custody inspection, with only one outstanding area relating to the analysis of custody EDI data. A new Power BI custody dashboard is anticipated in Spring 2026 to support this. The report also details the ethnicity of detainees, noting that the largest percentage identify as white, followed by Black and Asian, and that work is underway to understand why approximately 10% of custody records have 'not stated' for ethnicity. The detention of children and young people has reduced, reflecting efforts to encourage alternatives to arrest. The use of force and strip searching in custody remains low, with quality assurance processes in place. External scrutiny is provided through the Independent Advisory and Scrutiny Group (IASG) and the Independent Custody Visitor (ICV) Scheme.

Independent Custody Visiting Scheme Annual Report 2024/25

This report provides an update on the City of London's Independent Custody Visiting (ICV) Scheme and presents the Panel's annual report for the period April 2024 to March 2025. It outlines key issues identified regarding custody provision, remedial actions taken, and examples of effective practice. The report highlights challenges such as ensuring the timely attendance of Appropriate Adults and improvements to recruitment processes. It also details contributions to the design of the new Salisbury Square custody facility. The ICV Scheme continues to provide impartial oversight of custody operations, ensuring detainee rights, welfare, and dignity are upheld. The report notes an increase in the number of ICV volunteers, achieving a balance of male and female volunteers and improving ethnic diversity. It discusses the scrutiny of use of force, noting recording anomalies in the Niche system. The report confirms that the presence of Appropriate Adults for juveniles and vulnerable adults is a statutory safeguard, with a compliance rate of 85% for attendance within 90 minutes. Professional development and continuous professional development (CPD) opportunities for custody staff are highlighted, including training on mental health, equality, diversity, and legal compliance. Recognition of custody as a specialist area and safeguarding of vulnerable detainees are also key themes. The report details external partnerships with organisations such as the Samaritans, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Veterans Aid, which are recognised as good practice nationally. The ICV Scheme has also contributed to the design of the new Salisbury Square custody facility, providing feedback on detainee welfare, privacy, and accessibility. Priorities for 2025/26 include collaborating on the Salisbury Square facility design, enhancing the resilience of the ICV Scheme through recruitment, and maintaining compliance with the ICVA Quality Assessment Framework. Visit statistics and a summary of issues and concerns arising from visits are also included.