Home secretary writes to police leaders

Home secretary Suella Braverman has written to police leaders to set out her priorities for the police and crime cutting.

Recipients of the letter include chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners Chief Constables of the 43 territorial forces in England and Wales, police and crime commissioners, and mayors with PCC functions and the City of London Corporation’s Court of Common Council for the 43 territorial forces in England and Wales.

She began by thanking police for the contributions over the past two weeks during the period of national mourning.

She talked about the importance of restoring public trust in the police, saying: "The last few years have been challenging for policing and I am dismayed by the perceived deterioration of public confidence in the police. We have seen too many high-profile incidents which have shattered public trust in communities across the UK. Culture and standards in the police have to change, particularly in London."

Braverman stated that she expects the police to work with local partners to cut homicide, serious violence and neighbourhood crime by 20 per cent. She also said that she wants to see a renewed focus on tackling neighbourhood crime and anti-social behaviour, as drugs vehicle theft, vandalism and graffiti are not being treated seriously enough.

Braverman committed to deliver the additional 20,000 officers promised in the Police Uplift Programme and put pressure on Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners to deliver force level allocations by March 2023 and maintain officer numbers.

She said the government has committed to investing hundreds of millions in 2022-23 to provide police with tools to meet the technological challenges of the future, including £100 million over three years to tackle fraud.

Braverman ended the letter by saying: "We must work effectively and transparently as individuals and as a system to cut crime and improve performance and accountability, underpinned by good, consistent data. An effective system which meets the public expectation sees Police and Crime Commissioners driving local policing priorities and acting as strong, visible leaders; Chief Constables leading the local operational response; forces working in close collaboration with their Regional Organised Crime Units, NCA, wider law enforcement and partner agencies to disrupt the organised criminal groups whose activities undermine our core British values; and the wider policing system pushing the service to operate as efficiently as possible.

At its best, policing in this country is the best in the world. That must and can be the standard that all forces hit. You have my full support in making that happen."

Image: David Woolfall