‘Our Colleagues Should Not Have To Endure Racist Abuse’

14 September 2026

Our Protect The Protectors: Stop Racism Against Police campaign is gaining support north of the border in Scotland, as the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (ASPS) joins our campaign.

Rob Hay, President of ASPS, said no police officer should have to tolerate racist abuse. He added that racist abuse and assaults against officers was never acceptable and that incidents should be reported and offenders brought to justice.

He said: “When you look at the reporting of racist crime in Scotland, the strongest profile in this abuse has been directed at police officers. So we see a police officer as a victim more consistently than a person of any other profession. That's what our colleagues are having to endure. But on the positive side, it shows that we're taking action and that we're not going to put up with it.”

Rob said that police leaders needed to be aware that their officers were facing this abuse and making sure support was available: “That's absolutely essential, especially when you think of the cumulative effect of abuse over time. Some of these officers come from communities where the reputation of the police is not brilliant, so they might be already managing some scepticism from their friends and family about their career choice, then to deploy in the operational environment and get a barrage of racial abuse, that's a lot to be carrying around with you.

“The reality is that police officers will always be subject to verbal abuse in the street. We deal with drunks, we deal with criminals. As a result of all these emotionally charged, high-pressure situations, people spill over into verbal abuse and, unfortunately too often, physical assault. But that’s not acceptable, and we need to understand the enhanced impact that has on somebody when it's pointed at your culture, your heritage, the colour of your skin, because that makes it even worse for those officers.”

Rob’s message to Superintendents and Chief Superintendents was: “Speak to the men and women that you lead and let them know that racially motivated abuse and assault is unacceptable. It can be really powerful for cops to hear their boss say: ‘This stuff shouldn't happen to you, and if it does happen to you, I want to know about it’.”

He continued: “We gain so much from having a diverse workforce, it gives us legitimacy when dealing with communities, it brings in different skills, including language skills, it brings in better cultural awareness, it's such a necessary component of modern policing. We need to make sure that we're nurturing that within the service.

“I would expect my white officers to not tolerate their ethnic minority colleagues being abused, so it's not leaving it all in the hands of those who are subject to abuse.

“It's saying: ‘We are one single team. You might be a different colour or have a different heritage from me, but when you pull that uniform on, you're part of the police family, which means you're part of my family, and I will not stand by and let you be abused in that manner’.”

The mental health and wellbeing charity The Thin Blue Line UK is supporting the Protect The Protectors: Stop Racism Against Police campaign. To access free and confidential support, go to www.thinbluelineuk.org.uk/