As the National Black Police Association, we cannot ignore the pain, fear, and heartbreak being felt by many of our members as conflict and suffering continue to unfold across the globe, including in the Middle East. The images, the stories, and the silence can feel overwhelming. For many, this isn’t just happening ‘over there’, it is deeply personal and felt at home.
We represent a truly diverse and globally connected membership. Some of our colleagues have family directly affected by these events. Others are impacted through faith, identity, shared history, or simply a deep sense of humanity. We know the toll is emotional, spiritual, and, in some cases, traumatic. People are grieving, struggling to focus, and carrying a heaviness that is difficult to express in professional settings.
In times of crisis, clarity matters. Disinformation can spread quickly, clouding understanding and deepening division. That is why it is so important, now more than ever, to seek truth, challenge falsehoods, and engage with information thoughtfully and responsibly. Alongside this, the principles of national and international law exist to uphold fairness, protect human rights, and ensure accountability. These frameworks are not about sides; they are about standards. When they are respected and applied consistently, they help protect the dignity and safety of all people.
Policing has a responsibility not only to serve the public fairly, but also to care for the wellbeing of its own people. Too often, the specific experiences of colleagues from ethnic minority backgrounds are overlooked or forgotten, especially during times of global tension.
We urge all police forces to actively engage with their local staff associations to better understand how our members and the communities they reflect are feeling. By listening with intention, forces can create safe, non-judgmental spaces where officers and staff can defuse, decompress, and feel supported without fear of judgement or expectation. These spaces are not about debate; they are about dignity, empathy, and care.
Too often, global conflict creates fault lines within our own communities. We are witnessing a concerning rise in racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, and hostility towards minoritised groups across the UK. We must not allow division or disinformation to fracture the bonds between us. At the heart of this moment is a call to recognise our shared humanity. While many are hurting, we also see powerful expressions of solidarity, compassion, and resilience.
Policing must reflect and reinforce that spirit, by acknowledging the emotional impact of global events on our workforce and cultivating a culture grounded in care, understanding, and meaningful connection.
Now more than ever, we must be courageous – in how we listen, how we care, and how we lead.
National Black Police Association Cabinet
24th June 2025