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As Race Equality Week (3-9 February) comes to a close, Police Constable Nilufar Ali reflects on her journey driving equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) within West Midlands Police. Since joining the force in 2019 through Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme, she has championed initiatives to support underrepresented officers and improve internal cultures.
Starting as co-lead of the Birmingham West Diversity and Inclusion Panel, she worked with senior officers to highlight and address barriers within the force. Her efforts earned her a national Police Now Alumni Impact Award and led to discussions with the Home Office and the College of Policing on strengthening EDI in officer training.
Now a key member of the force’s Black and Asian Policing Association (BAPA), Ali is launching a new strand of the network to support women from ethnic minority backgrounds. Inspired by the national Women of Colour in Policing (WOCIP) network, she saw an opportunity to enhance support within West Midlands Police.
“It’s about giving ethnic minority women a platform to identify and overcome barriers, collaborate, and drive real change,” she said. The initiative is still taking shape, but plans are already underway for a coaching and mentoring programme in collaboration with ‘Women in the Shade’ later this year.
“Working in a typically male-dominated field as an ethnic minority woman can be intimidating. You tend to question where you fit in, but there are supportive voices in policing who will help you challenge attitudes and drive change.”
Alongside her EDI work, Ali now serves in the Force Contact team, the first point of call for the public seeking police support. She remains committed to creating opportunities for diverse voices in policing, both within her force and nationally through a new Police Now alumni advisory group focused on supporting ethnic minority women.
Her advice to those considering a policing career? “Be brave, be confident in who you are and what you bring to the table. Every voice counts, every action counts.”
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