The Professionalism and Trust Committee (Police) meeting scheduled for 02 February 2026 was set to review several key updates regarding the City of London Police's operations and internal standards. Discussions were planned on equity, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI) initiatives, professional standards, conduct, and vetting, as well as updates on stop and search, use of force, and custody operations.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) Update

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to an update on the City of London Police's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) strategy. The report, authored by Det Supt Kate MacLeod, detailed progress against the 2024-2027 EDI Strategy, focusing on performance against prioritised actions. By the end of Q4 (October-December 2025), 19 out of 28 high-priority actions had been completed, with 9 remaining in progress. Key achievements highlighted included the refresh of the Youth Independent Advisory Group (YIAG) and the establishment of an Ethics Panel. The report also detailed progress on the Inclusivity Programme, noting an increase in module attendance and engagement across the force. A new performance framework was being developed to assess the force's performance against its EDI ambitions, aligning with the four pillars of the strategy: Our People, Our Policies, Our Public, and Our Partners. The report also provided an update on the Inclusivity Programme's compliance, showing an increase in module completion rates across directorates, genders, and employee types.

Professional Standards, Conduct, and Vetting Update Q3

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on professional standards, conduct, and vetting for the third quarter of 2025/26. The report indicated a decrease in the overall volume of complaints compared to the previous quarter, remaining below the national average. However, there was an increase in new conduct cases recorded. The report noted a number of officers subject to long-term suspension due to ongoing criminal investigations or trials, with an expectation of several Gross Misconduct hearings in the coming months. The Professional Standards Department was also preparing for a HMICFRS Integrity Inspection, with progress being made against identified recommendations. Updates on vetting actions were also provided, showing a high percentage of completed actions, with ongoing work on significant tasks such as implementing open-source software for social media checks and data cleansing. The report also detailed forward-looking engagement plans, including listening circles and a new Professionalism newsletter, aimed at reinforcing standards and addressing conduct issues.

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

An update was scheduled on stop and search activity and the use of force for the third quarter of 2025, alongside annual comparisons for 2024/2025. The report indicated a reduction in overall stop and search numbers, particularly within the youth category, which has been a focus for training. Outcome rates remained stable, close to a 50% working rate. The report noted slight increases in searches of individuals identified as Black, Asian, or other ethnicities, which were considered within normal quarterly variations. The annual comparison highlighted a continued fall in stop and search numbers, with a positive trend in searching fewer young people. The report addressed an increase in disproportionality, particularly for Black individuals, largely attributed to the City of London Police's assistance at Notting Hill Carnival under a Section 60 authority, which was described as a successful operation resulting in weapon seizures. Data on the use of force for December 2025 was manually counted due to coding issues, showing figures for handcuff usage, baton and Taser deployments, and arrests. Disproportionality figures for use of force in 2024 and 2025 were also presented.

Annual Custody Update

The committee was to receive an annual report on custody functions and activities within the City of London over the past 12 months. The report covered data on annual demand, vulnerability, use of force, juveniles, strip searching, and custody culture and training. It highlighted progress made since the 2018 HMICFRS inspection, with only one outstanding area for improvement relating to the analysis of custody EDI data. A new Power BI custody dashboard was anticipated in Spring 2026 to aid in data scrutiny. The report detailed overall custody demand, noting a reduction in detainees held in 2025 compared to 2024, and a high use of bail over Released Under Investigation (RUI). A pilot for a dedicated Bail Manager role was agreed for Spring 2026 to manage increased bail demand. The report also provided a breakdown of detainee complexities and vulnerabilities, including mental health and substance-related issues, and highlighted the success of the embedded healthcare service provided by PHL Group. Updates on safeguarding vulnerable detainees, including specific processes for children and young people, were also included. Equality data and disproportionality were discussed, with ongoing work to ensure accurate recording of ethnicity data and improve automated metrics. The report noted a low number of strip searches and use of force incidents within custody, with consistent monitoring and quality assurance processes in place. External scrutiny through the Independent Advisory and Scrutiny Group (IASG) and the Independent Custody Visitor Scheme was also detailed.

Independent Custody Visiting Scheme Annual Report 2024/25

The committee was to review the annual report of the City of London's Independent Custody Visiting (ICV) Scheme for the period April 2024 to March 2025. The report provided an overview of the Scheme's performance, highlighting issues and concerns raised regarding custody provision, and outlining key operational challenges addressed during the year. These included ensuring timely attendance of Appropriate Adults, improvements to recruitment and onboarding processes, and contributions to the design of the new Salisbury Square custody facility. The report detailed the role of ICVs, their visit statistics, and issues and concerns arising from visits, such as infrastructure, officer conduct, cleaning, and health-related matters. Priorities for the upcoming year included collaborating on the new custody facility design, enhancing Scheme resilience through recruitment, and maintaining compliance with national standards. The report also included forewords from the ICV Cohort and the ICV Scheme Sponsor, Police Authority Board Member Deborah Oliver, who commended the professionalism of the custody team and highlighted areas for continued focus, such as equality data and disproportionality.