Service quality is ‘often still not good enough’, says the police’s inspectorate in their annual assessment of England and Wales 2025–26.
The report pointed to ‘an increasing reliance on neighbourhood policing teams to meet immediate and wider policing demand’, which had ‘reduced their ability to carry out their core roles of prevention and problem-solving’. As for the Labour Government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, the inspectorate stated that some forces may have recruited extra officers and staff , ‘but they often diverted them to meet other demands or allocated them an excessive number of crimes to deal with. This meant that their communities saw little improvement in police visibility or proactive policing’. The report pointed to ‘a cycle in which rising demand leads to further abstractions, which further weakens neighbourhood policing’.
Inspectors continued to find some delays in answering non-emergency calls; and raised concerns about (lack of) attendance at incidents.
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary Michelle Skeer OBE QPM said: “Policing has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make changes that could improve how forces operate for many years to come. The government’s reform programme should help address some of the long-standing problems that have held the police service back. While making changes, the government must take care to preserve our system of policing by consent and safeguard the operational independence of chief constables. Forces must also make sure officers and staff are well supported, given the persistent problems of low morale, fatigue and poor well-being.
“Our inspection findings show that policing is making progress in some areas, including neighbourhood policing. But there are still areas where performance is not good enough. Too many victims are being let down by poor investigations and safeguarding needs to improve so that vulnerable people are identified and protected at the earliest opportunity. “This is a pivotal moment for policing. Policing in England and Wales has many strengths, but there remain areas where improvements are needed. If managed correctly, I firmly believe that reform presents a significant opportunity to deliver a better service for both the public and those working within policing.”
For the 56-page document visit the HMIC website.
Comment
For the rank and file police’s body, the Police Federation, Acting National Chair, Brian Booth, said: “The findings come as no surprise to police officers across England and Wales. The Inspectorate has recognised the evidence consistently presented by the Police Federation that officers are carrying ever-increasing workloads, morale remains low, fatigue is widespread, and too many feel undervalued despite the vital role they play in keeping the public safe. The report delivers a clear warning: if policing continues to lose experienced officers through burnout, fatigue and disillusionment, public services will suffer. Reform cannot come at the expense of the workforce.
