Muslim police associations accused of undermining police impartiality - Policy Exchange reports

A Policy Exchange report accuses Muslim police staff associations in the UK of crossing the line of police impartiality by engaging in political and ideological disputes. The report highlights a NAMP policy paper that described Zionism as a manifestation of anti-Muslim hatred and referred to the IDF as a Zionist terrorist group, and also defended Hamas. It calls for a new Police Impartiality Act.

A new report by the Policy Exchange think tank accuses Muslim staff associations within British policing of undermining the principle of police impartiality. The report, titled "Mixed Messages: Police Impartiality & the National Association of Muslim Police," examines the activities of the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP) and local force-level Muslim Police Associations. It finds examples of these organizations becoming involved in highly contentious policy issues and platforming individuals with what it calls "questionable backgrounds." The report highlights a NAMP policy paper that described Zionism as "one of the manifestations of anti-Muslim hatred" and referred to the IDF as one of several "Zionist terrorist groups." The paper also defended Hamas against what it described as "alarming and unverified stories about acts of violence" committed during and after the attacks of October 7, 2023. Following intervention by the Jewish Leadership Council, NAMP removed the paper from its website. The report also discusses the activities of Supt. Hasson Shigdar, a senior West Midlands Police officer, who shared material online from organizations with questionable history. Policy Exchange calls on the Home Secretary to bring forward a new "Police Impartiality Act" to regulate the arena.