True Allies

SEMPER Scotland is the Staff Association that supports Police Officers and Staff for Equality in Race.  We launched our Allies Programme during Black History Month on the 6th of October 2025 and the following information sums up what allyship means and specifically for BME colleagues within Police Scotland.

 

Building a network of allies is essential to creating an inclusive and fairer environment where everyone feels valued and supported.  Allyship helps to challenge discrimination and remove barriers, which in turn promotes equality encouraging a shared responsibility for inclusion across an organisation.
 

Allies play a vital role in strengthening trust, their understanding through listening and learning enables them to stand up for others, commitment and actions promote positive cultural change, improves wellbeing and ensures that policies, practices and behaviours reflect the organisation’s core values, such as integrity fairness and respect.
 

Allies are best placed to actively promote inclusion and challenge bias which in turn fosters safer, more supportive and inclusive environments where others feel empowered to be themselves where they can fully contribute and participate which helps to build credibility within the organisation and the communities it serves.
 

A Black Minority Ethnic Ally (BME) is someone who actively supports and promotes fairness, inclusion and respect for BME officers and staff, contributing to a working environment where everyone is treated with dignity, feels supported and can perform at their best.  An Ally takes time to listen to lived experiences of BME colleagues and seeks to understand how bias, discrimination or inequality can affect an individual and a team.  Allies demonstrate empathy, professionalism and self-reflection, recognising the importance of challenging their own assumptions and behaviours.
 

Being an Ally for BME colleagues means showing up in meaningful ways such as being present and engaged in the workplace, supporting and participating in inclusion initiatives and reinforcing expected standards on and off duty.  Allies speak up and take appropriate action when they witness discrimination or unfair conduct which fall below professional standards, using their position and influence to challenge such behaviours whilst supporting those affected.
 

Anyone can be a BME Ally, regardless of rank or role, it doesn’t mean that you will have all the answers (nobody does), it’s about listening and learning, acting with integrity and upholding values and responsibilities expected of those who serve in policing. 

​If you’re interested in becoming an Ally, email comms@semperscotland.org