The Home Office will introduce new targets for police forces in England and Wales, with poorly performing forces to be named and shamed under plans announced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. The reforms, described as the biggest in two centuries, include targets for emergency response times, victim satisfaction, and public trust.
Results will be published on a public dashboard, allowing comparisons between areas. The Home Secretary will also gain powers to intervene directly in failing forces, including sending in specialist teams and ousting underperforming chief constables.
The plans have broad support from police chiefs, but some express concerns about league tables creating perverse incentives. One chief warned: 'You can hit the target and miss the point.' Another said: 'What gets measured gets done, and what does not get measured does not get done.'
The white paper, titled 'From local to national: a new model for policing,' will be unveiled in parliament on Monday. It is expected to cost £500 million over three years, with savings anticipated from improved efficiency. The reforms also signal a reduction in the number of forces from 43, with a commission to review mergers, though implementation may be years away.
Mahmood has described her approach as 'We go large, or we go home.' The changes mark a shift from local accountability under police and crime commissioners, who will be abolished by 2028, to central government control.
