Yvette Cooper set to announce new policing reforms

This week, home secretary Yvette Cooper will announce a separate government unit to improve policing standards and make our streets safer.

She intends to outline her dedicated unit on Tuesday 19th November 2024, at the annual conference hosted by the National Police Chief's Council and Association for police and Crime Commissioners, which will form part of the roadmap for reform to create a partnership between the Home Office and the police.

This new unit intends to use national data to monitor performance and forward improvements, which will develop previous work done by the College of Policing, policing inspectorate (HMICFRS), NPCC and Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). These new protocols aim to foster confidence and trust between communities and their local police force.

A Home Office unit will be specifically introduced to monitor police performance, especially in high priority areas such as tackling gender-based violence, knife crime, and improving neighbourhood policing. This is the first time in over a decade that this country has seen a dedicated unit for such cases.

Local police data will serve as the basis for monitoring officer activity on the frontline, allowing for police response times to be standardised and measured, a key issue that is not yet managed. The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee aims to ensure that officers spend more time on the frontlines where they can be accessed by their communities, rather than doing administrative tasks behind the scenes.

The Home Office will also utilise police-recorded data on child sexual abuse to help police forces understand and then mitigate hidden threats in their areas. This will allow forces to calculate how they can build better victim confidence, and allowing perpetuators to be brought to justice. 

A greater focus on police standards will also be implemented by collecting data on misconduct, vetting and disciplinary procedures, to ensure that all members of the police force are fit to serve. In turn, this will help to restore the public's trust in the officers operating in their communities.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper intends to be more hands-on in rolling out improvements, collaborating with policing partners to ensure that the appropriate support and intervention is being given.

The new performance unit aims to complement the existing system, with PCCs refocussing on strengthening local policing and preventing crime in their communities.

Police leaders have encouraged the need for policing reform, and the government is committed to working with them to ensure change is delivered in reconnecting officers with their communities. It follows the government's manifesto commitment to boost the powers of the policing inspectorate (HMICFRS), allowing them to intervene in failing forces and boost standards nationwide. 

In her speech tomorrow, home secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to explain:

"This is a critical juncture for the future of policing. And if as a country we are to remain equipped to fight the fast-changing challenges of today and tomorrow, then we know policing must evolve."

"We have a huge opportunity ahead of us to reset the relationship between government and the police, to regain the trust and support of the people we all serve and to reinvigorate the best of British policing."

"Strong and consistent performance is critical to commanding public confidence. I truly believe that working together we can mobilise behind this mission - and deliver a fairer, safer country for all."