From Words to Action: Embedding Real Cultural Change in Policing

This week’s BBC Panorama programme – Undercover in the Police once again shone a light on the troubling culture within UK policing. For many watching, it reinforced a painful reality: despite the promises made in the aftermath of the murder of Sarah Everard, and the recommendations of the Angiolini Inquiry earlier this year – that “every Police Force must commit publicly to being anti-sexist, anti-misogynistic, and anti-racist, taking active steps to challenge harmful behaviours often disguised as ‘banter’” – too little has changed in practice.

At LimeCulture, we share this frustration. But we also recognise that many of these behaviours are not unique to policing – they are present in society as a whole. Real and lasting cultural change cannot come from policies alone. It requires creating structures that empower people within organisations to challenge and report harmful behaviours, and to be effectively supported in doing so without fear of reprisal.

This mirrors another key recommendation of the Angiolini Inquiry: that Forces must “address the barriers faced by officers and staff when reporting sexual misconduct by colleagues, ensuring safe, confidential processes and robust support for those affected.”

Over the last two years, LimeCulture has been working closely with Avon and Somerset Police to design and embed a new model of support: Sexual Misconduct Advocate (SMA) service for staff or officers who have experienced or witnessed sexual misconduct or inappropriate behaviours. LimeCulture trained their SMAs to provide a confidential, trauma-informed service, allowing those affected to consider their options and navigate internal systems, including reporting.

Feedback from staff and leaders has confirmed the model’s value. Many describe it as a significant step towards rebalancing support in policing, identifying barriers to change, and creating safer environments where victims and witnesses feel heard, supported, and empowered to come forward. This approach has since been recognised as an area of good practice by HMICFRS and the College of Policing.

Embedding internal support models, such as the SMA service, allows organisations not only to provide consistent and trusted responses to reports of misconduct and gather intelligence on potential risks, but also to signal an ongoing organisational commitment to change – rather than a reactive response to crisis.

Trust is central to any case involving misconduct. Victims, witnesses, and even those accused, must feel confident that they can engage safely and fairly. Building this trust is more likely when internal support is available — support that provides reassurance, consistency, and compassion, and which feels accessible as it is rooted in the organisation itself. When those providing the support are properly trained, understand the organisational landscape, and operate with integrity, they become essential bridges between policy and human experience.

As the Panorama programme highlighted, cultural transformation in policing remains an urgent challenge. National policies and inquiries set the direction, but without internal structures that embed safer cultures and build trust, progress risks stalling.

At LimeCulture, we are proud to be working alongside policing leaders who recognise this. Embedding an internal support model is not a quick fix. It is a long-term investment in transparency, accountability, and the well-being of those working in policing – and, ultimately, in the trust and safety of the public they serve.

The challenge ahead is to ensure that more Forces commit not only to words, but to meaningful, practical action that allows cultural change to take root. Only then will we see a policing culture where everyone – staff and public alike – can feel safe, respected, and supported.