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Police forces hiring diversity officers on £75k salaries despite local crime rates soaring

Police forces are hiring diversity officers with a £75,000 salary as politicians have slammed the "unacceptable" use of taxpayers' money. The force have advertised an equality, diversity, inclusion (DEI) and human rights position, paying £75,000. Another role, paying £64,000, is a culture and inclusion lead within the police. Such roles have come under fierce scrutiny from politicians as crime rates are rising, with critics suggesting the money should be spent making Britain's streets safer. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Police forces are also under pressure to scrap DEI training and approaches after the murder of Henry Nowak, who died in police custody after being falsely accused by his killer, Vickrum Digwa, of being racist. Officers in the force have suggested they fear being accused of racism so much that they would rather mishandle a murder investigation than be in breach of diversity guidelines, the Telegraph has revealed. The police's anti-racism commitment has also come under scrutiny as the guideline, which was published in March 2025, suggests people from ethnic minority backgrounds need to be treated differently. Police Minister Sarah Jones said the advice "gives the wrong impression". The document which states its goal of "producing equality of policing outcomes... does not mean treating everyone 'the same'". A job posting for a "senior culture lead" in Scotland Yard's culture, diversity and inclusion directorate has a starting salary of £62,000, with the possibility of earning £72,000. The police pay constables a starting salary of between £29,907 and £42,210, depending on the region. William Yarwood of the Taxpayers' Alliance told GB News the working public would be "appalled" at this revelation, calling for the roles to be "abolished". LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Police watchdog claims anti-racism efforts have not gone far enough amid ‘two-tier policing’ row Sikh group calls for inquiry into Henry Nowak's death over 'catastrophic multi-agency failures' Keir Starmer vows war on social media giants unless they impose strict 'world-first' restrictions He said: "Taxpayers will be appalled that police forces are hiring highly paid diversity officers while crime rises and frontline policing is stretched. "The public wants officers catching criminals and keeping streets safe, not forces pouring their money into woke bureaucracy. "EDI roles inside the police should be abolished and the savings redirected to frontline policing." Crime rates in London have increased by 27.7 per cent since 2020. In 2020/21, there were 83.3 crimes per 1,000 people in the capital, whereas in 2024-25, this number went up to 106.4 per 1,000. The proliferation of mobile phone thefts is part of the reason behind soaring crime rates in the capital. However, Police Scotland is also looking for "an experienced equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights professional", offering a £75,000 remuneration package. The Scottish force's latest quarterly figures show it had 123 fewer officers at the end of March than at the same time last year. Meanwhile, crime in Scotland has increased by three per cent in the year to September 2025, with violent and sexual crimes on the up. At the opposite end of the country, Devon & Cornwall Police is searching for a DEI expert, offering almost £65,000 for the role. There are hundreds of DEI roles within the police force, with the total salary for them estimated to be over £10million per year. After meeting Henry Nowak's family last week, Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch said they collectively agreed to bring back "common sense" to policing. She said: "What the family agreed with me on is that we need to bring common sense back, and that is what we should all be fighting for." Zia Yusuf, Reform UK’s home affairs spokesman, added: “It is unacceptable that British people’s taxes are paying for yet more diversity officers. Police officers should be focused on detecting crime, arresting criminals and keeping streets safe. Nothing else. Reform UK will scrap DEI on day one.” A Met Police spokesman said: "We police London without fear or favour and continue to strive in serving all communities equally. "As society and politics become more polarised, it is vital policing remains impartial, and all operational decisions are grounded in legal principles. "The work of our Culture, Diversity & Inclusion division continues to improve how we serve all communities in line with our New Met for London strategy." A Devon & Cornwall Police spokesman defended the role, saying inclusive workplace cultures were proven to make police forces more effective, more productive and better able to build public trust. The force said the Culture and Inclusion Lead was a strategic position designed to help build a workforce that was professional, representative of local communities and equipped to deliver the best possible service,. It added that every pound of public money was committed to keeping people safe and reducing crime. Meanwhile, a Police Scotland spokesman said: "Police Scotland is driving a culture change towards becoming an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory, policing service which fully reflects and represents all our diverse communities. "The onus is on policing to continue to earn and maintain the trust of the public and extensive work is ongoing through the Policing Together strategy to ensure that we are an organisation where our officers and staff know they belong, demonstrate our values and take a human rights-based approach to policing. "Our officers and staff in dedicated equality and diversity roles, as well as the enhanced training being provided, represent an important investment which underlines our determination to build a better, more inclusive, service." Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

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