Policing has come a long way, but major problems persist, says outgoing Chief Inspector of Constabulary
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The police service has come a long way in the past ten years with
many important successes, but major problems still need to be
addressed, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary has said. Today, Sir
Thomas Winsor has published his ten-year view of policing in
England and Wales as he prepares to leave office on the expiry of
his appointment on 31 March 2022. The Chief Inspector reflected on
recent evidence of toxic behaviour and attitudes demonstrated by
some police officers. He...Request free
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The police service has come a long way in the past ten years with many important successes, but major problems still need to be addressed, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary has said. Today, Sir Thomas Winsor has published his ten-year view of policing in England and Wales as he prepares to leave office on the expiry of his appointment on 31 March 2022. The Chief Inspector reflected on recent evidence of toxic behaviour and attitudes demonstrated by some police officers. He said that when public trust in the police is damaged, it is essential that public reassurance in the integrity and professionalism of the police is restored and reaffirmed as quickly as possible (page 33). In his final annual report after nearly a decade in post, the Chief Inspector described how demand on the police has changed very significantly, for example:
In his report, the Chief Inspector also draws attention to:
The Chief Inspector also said the fragile architecture of the 43-force model, born in 1962, is not fit for purpose. Sir Thomas reiterated his proposal for a network code, which would dissolve the barriers preventing policing and law enforcement from operating as a single system and secure fair, reliable and sustainable decisions on regional and nation-wide problems (page 67). Sir Thomas Winsor, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary, said: “In the past ten years, the police service has come a long way. Critical advances have been made in several fields of policing, including domestic abuse, child protection, the quality of some investigations, relations with the public and workforce diversity. Police officers and staff have a very great deal of which to be proud. “But major shortcomings in policing persist, and these need to be addressed. Criminality is often now complex and far more sophisticated, and investigations can take far longer. If the police continue to use 20th-century methods to try to cope with 21st-century technology, they will continue to fall further and further behind. “The police service cannot meet 100 percent of public expectations for, say, 70 percent of their efficient cost. The public, through their elected representatives, must decide how much risk and harm they are prepared to accept, and whether they will pay more for higher levels of public safety. “One of the most important things the police must do, especially in London, is to rebuild public trust, which has recently been damaged. Public confidence in the police is more than precious, it is essential. “As I reflect on the past decade in policing, I commend the courage and commitment of police officers and staff across the country. The severity of the problems that our police service now faces should not be underestimated, but the public should be reassured by the strong, pragmatic and professional approach of police officers and staff. They should stand in admiration of their fortitude and bravery in facing sometimes mortal danger and the worst things which happen to people and which people do to others. “The public can and must trust the police.”
ENDS Notes to editors:
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