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Despite efforts to rebuild public trust, the police are still failing to meet the public’s expectations and are letting down too many victims of crime, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary has said.

Get the report : State of Policing: The Annual Assessment of Policing in England and Wales 2023

In his annual assessment of policing in England and Wales, Andy Cooke has said that the police are still struggling to get the basics right. The chief inspector described inconsistencies across police forces in responding to the public and investigating crime as “unjustifiable”.

He called for urgent improvements, stating that without fundamental reform to the criminal justice system, victims will continue to struggle to get access to the justice they deserve.

In State of Policing 2023, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke QPM DL has also said:

• the level of crime is on a long-term downward trajectory, but some crime types such as violence against women and girls, are still highly prevalent in society;
• many officers have high workloads and don’t feel valued enough for the work they do. Forces must do everything they can to better lead and support their officers and staff; and
• the police funding formula is outdated and unfair. Funding should be distributed so that it goes to where it is needed most.

In his report, Andy Cooke has made four recommendations to the Government and chief constables, which include:

• abolishing the Government’s fixed police officer hiring target so forces can build a more balanced and effective workforce;
• reviewing how forces are funded to make sure that funds are distributed according to the needs of communities;
• providing the inspectors of constabulary with the right powers and enough funding so they can help forces to improve and make communities safer across England and Wales.

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke said:

“The police service in England and Wales is an institution that we, as members of the public, should be able to be proud of. Once again, this year I have been struck by the dedication and professionalism shown by the vast majority of police officers and staff. But the power of the police is dependent on public approval and respect – something which has been damaged over recent years.

“We should not have to doubt whether police officers behave in a lawful, ethical and fair manner, but repeated episodes of unacceptable or criminal behaviour have brought this into question. We also shouldn’t have to doubt that the police will quickly pick up the phone when we call them for help. But too many forces are still failing to get the basics right when it comes to responding to the public and investigating crime. The police must consistently show us they deserve our trust and confidence – both in how they behave and the quality of services they provide.

“The police’s workforce is its greatest asset, but it must be set up to succeed. Through our inspections we have seen how the Government’s target for officer numbers is preventing many forces from hiring the right balance of police officers, police staff and police community support officers. The workforce is also inexperienced, workloads are sometimes unacceptably high and morale across many forces is at an all-time low. Senior leaders need to step up to the mark – the importance of strong leadership in policing has never been clearer.

“The way the police are funded is an area of increasing concern. Central government funding does not go where it is needed most and there is an increasing reliance on raising money through local council tax. Forces have often had little certainty about how much money they will receive over a multi-year period. And for many years, the police haven’t received enough funding to help them make large capital investments, such as purchasing new ICT systems.

“The inspectorate has been a catalyst for change and reform for 167 years. But now more than ever, the role of the inspectorate is crucial in ensuring the police can be held to account. Police forces cannot be allowed to fail, but they need more support to improve than we can give them with our current powers and funding. Having sufficient oversight of the performance of police forces is essential to making communities safer.”

Get the report : State of Policing: The Annual Assessment of Policing in England and Wales 2023

Notes

1. For further information, the HMICFRS Press Office can be contacted at 0300 071 6781 or HMICPressOffice@hmicfrs.gov.uk.