Met Police to Spend £5.2 Million on 64-Strong 'Woke Taskforce'

Metropolitan Police to Invest £5.2 Million Annually in 64 Diversity Roles Despite Budget Crisis-The Metropolitan Police, Britain's largest police force, is set to significantly increase its spending on Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) staff to £5.2 million per year for 64 full-time equivalent roles, even as it grapples with a £250 million funding shortfall and implements severe cuts to frontline services. This expenditure marks an increase from the Met's current spend of £3.2 million on its Culture Diversity and Inclusion Unit, with the full £5.2 million budget achieved once all current vacancies are filled, Daily Dazzling Dawn understands.

This decision comes directly alongside the announcement of significant cuts. Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has confirmed the force will lose 3,300 police officers in 2025 and 2026 and close ten more police station front counters. The cuts also extend to historic and visible units, with the Mounted Branch facing reductions from 93 horses to 40, and the loss of 69 out of 120 police officers and ten support staff roles in that division.

Arguments in Support of the EDI Investment-While the investment has drawn significant public criticism, proponents of the move argue that strengthening the EDI unit is a critical step in the Met's reform journey, following years of high-profile scandals and reports highlighting institutional issues, including misogyny, racism, and homophobia.

Building Public Trust and Legitimacy: A key function of a robust EDI strategy is to foster greater trust and legitimacy among London's diverse communities. By visibly addressing internal cultural issues and ensuring the force is representative and sensitive to all groups, the Met aims to increase cooperation and confidence, which is crucial for effective policing.

Addressing Institutional Discrimination: Numerous independent reviews and internal reports have called for comprehensive cultural reform within the Met. The EDI staff are tasked with implementing these recommendations, driving cultural change, and developing strategies to eliminate discrimination and bias in policing practices, which directly impacts the fairness of services provided to the public.

Improving Workforce Diversity and Retention: EDI teams work on recruitment and retention strategies to ensure the workforce reflects the diverse population of London. A more diverse workforce is shown to lead to better decision-making, better community engagement, and a reduction in misconduct.

Supporting Officer Wellbeing: A portion of the funding is allocated to roles like 'life events delivery managers' who support staff with work-life balance, disabilities, and neurodivergent conditions. Investing in officer wellbeing is a preventative measure, aiming to reduce sickness, improve performance, and retain experienced personnel.

Facilitating Community Engagement: The extensive 'diversity calendar' and 47 staff support networks—ranging from the Bisexual Support Group and He For She gender equality movement to 19 associations for various ethnicities and religious groups—are mechanisms designed to build internal community and facilitate dialogue that can inform external engagement strategies.

Mind-Boggling Array of Inclusivity Projects-The Met's inclusivity work is comprehensive, according to internal documents obtained under a Freedom of Information request. The force's 'diversity calendar' includes 63 celebrated events, such as International Pronouns Day, Pansexual and Panromantic Awareness Day, and Be Kind To Humankind Week. Additionally, roles like the advertised 'life events delivery managers,' with salaries of £47,000 per year, are intended to provide dedicated support for staff facing personal or health challenges.

Who Can Apply and How to Apply-The specific roles funded by the £5.2 million budget are highly specialized. The Met Police advertises vacancies, including those in the Culture Diversity and Inclusion Unit, on their official recruitment portal. These positions are typically open to both internal candidates and members of the public who possess relevant professional experience in human resources, change management, community engagement, or EDI strategy. Interested applicants should monitor the official Metropolitan Police careers website for specific job postings and requirements.

Criticism of Prioritization-The Met's decision has been met with fierce criticism from political figures and taxpayer groups, who argue the money should be spent on increasing visible, frontline policing. Susan Hall, the Conservative group leader on the London Assembly, called the spending "absolute wokery" that distracts officers from core duties. Similarly, Reform MP Lee Anderson and William Yarwood of the TaxPayers' Alliance argue the Met should "scrap the gimmicks and get back to basics," prioritizing "bobbies on the beat" over a "sprawling diversity bureaucracy." The controversy highlights a national debate over the necessity and scale of EDI spending across the public sector, with the NHS alone reportedly spending £40 million a year on EDI jobs.