Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
The Home Office has announced that all police officers in England and Wales will soon be required to hold a licence to continue their work. This licence will demonstrate that officers possess the necessary skills, particularly in areas such as addressing violence against women and girls. Failure to maintain these competencies could result in removal from their positions. This introduction of a phased licensing scheme mirrors those already established in professions like law and medicine.
Alongside the licensing requirement, the government plans to grant ministers new powers to remove chief constables and intervene in police forces deemed inadequate. These measures are part of a broad programme of reforms aimed at overhauling policing, which Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood describes as the most significant transformation in decades. The new system will require officers to renew their “licence to practice” throughout their careers by engaging continuously with updated training and guidance. This approach aims to create a consistent framework across all 43 police forces in England and Wales.
Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones emphasised the importance of this licence in ensuring officers remain “match fit” to protect communities as criminal activities evolve. She stated, “The licence to practise will equip every officer with the skills and capabilities to do the job – whether new to the force or a policing veteran.” In addition to the licensing scheme, ministers will gain statutory authority to compel police chief constables to retire, resign, or face suspension if their performance falls short. Previously, this authority rested solely with police and crime commissioners. The government will also be able to deploy specialist teams to assist forces where crime solving rates or response times lag behind expectations.
Public accountability will be enhanced through the introduction of new policing targets, which will be made accessible to the public. Home Secretary Mahmood noted, “It is essential that the people can determine what they expect from their forces.” These reforms follow Mahmood’s recent expression of lost confidence in West Midlands Police chief constable Craig Guildford, who retired after controversy surrounding the banning of Israeli football fans from an Aston Villa match. Sir Andy Cooke, head of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), praised the proposals, highlighting the need for a fair and transparent system to address underperformance effectively. Meanwhile, Mahmood plans to reduce the current number of police forces from 43 and shift their focus towards tackling serious and organised crime. However, the Police Federation of England and Wales cautioned that reducing the number of forces does not guarantee improved policing and stressed the importance of investing in skills, capabilities, and equipment for meaningful reform
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.