The SPR sets out the Home Secretary's view of what the current
national threats are, and the national policing capabilities
needed to counter those threats.
Strategic Policing
Requirement
Details
The Strategic Policing Requirement (SPR) was first issued in
July 2012, in accordance with section 77 of the Police Reform and
Social Responsibility Act 2011. The previous Strategic
Policing Requirement was last updated in 2015.
Police and crime commissioners and chief constables must consider
the SPR when carrying
out their functions.
National threats
The 2023 version introduces violence against women and girls as
an additional national threat, and reaffirms the validity of the
existing threats.
The national threats set out in the SPR are:
- violence against women and girls
- terrorism
- serious and organised crime
- a national cyber incident
- child sexual abuse
- public order
- civil emergencies
The inclusion of violence against women and girls as a national
threat sets clear expectations for:
- local and regional police capabilities to tackle violence
against women and girls
- how local forces work with others, including collaborating
with other agencies
Other updates
Other changes include:
- a more detailed description of how threats should be tackled
by police forces
- strengthened governance and assurance arrangements, including
a requirement for more distinct references to SPR in police and crime
plans
- an enhanced serious and organised crime section, to ensure
prominence for crime types such as fraud and organised
immigration crime
