As part of the Labour Government’s ‘Plan for Change’, Prime Minister Keir Starmer set out in a speech at Huntingdon a ‘Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee’ covering England and Wales. In more detail, that means 13,000 more officers into neighbourhood policing roles by 2029 (whether police constables or others), and each neighbourhood having named, contactable officers.
A new, central Government, Police Standards and Performance Improvement Unit will measure police performance. Sir Keir said: “Everyone deserves to feel safe and secure on the streets they call home. It is just about the most basic right that anyone would expect. Yet for years crimes such as shoplifting and antisocial behaviour have wreaked havoc on our neighbourhoods. Policing has become reactive, picking up the pieces after crimes have occurred.
“Britain deserves better. It should not matter where you live – everyone deserves local, visible policing they can trust, and with our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee we will end this postcode lottery, putting prevention back at the heart of policing and ensuring police are back on the streets. That’s why our Plan for Change is delivering security for working people in their communities with a return to neighbourhood policing, putting thousands of bobbies back on the beat and keeping people safe.”
In a letter to chief constables, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper set out that the Guarantee will include ‘increased patrols in town centres and other hotspots based on local demand and intelligence, tackling key local issues such as anti-social behaviour, shop theft and vandalism and giving the enhanced visibility and presence’ on high streets. An initial 3,000 more such officers, PCSOs and special constables will be around by March 2026.
Comments
For the rank and file police body, the Police Federation of England and Wales, Acting Deputy National Chair Brian Booth said: “We have always championed neighbourhood policing as it helps build confidence and relationships in communities and helps gather information to keep the public safe, yet for many years it has been massively undervalued, and decimated. However, we know from a number of police chief officers they are struggling to deal with the lack of real term increased funding in policing.
“The reality is multi-million-pound budget cuts across forces are being made, with some having to making difficult choices about what units to keep and what areas of work must be cut, which includes job losses. This, coupled with the fact police officers are leaving in their droves, does not bode well when it comes to achieving a target of 13,000 more officers in neighbourhood policing roles by 2029, in a way that is fair and not a postcode lottery.
“According to official data, the leaver rate for police officer voluntary resignations in the year ending 31 March 2024, at 3.4 per cent, is the highest rate on record. We know from our annual Pay and Morale Survey poor pay, working conditions and the dangers of the job are always the top reasons for them exiting the service.
“In addition, thousands of police officer hours are also wasted because of bureaucracy, with officers stuck behind desks redacting case files at the pre-charge stage, when they could be out in the community preventing and tackling crime.”
For the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), Chair and Labour PCC for Merseyside, Emily Spurrell said: “Neighbourhood policing is vital for building trust, preventing crime and fostering community engagement. It ensures that local officers, with their unique knowledge, can swiftly address the specific needs of their communities, creating safer and more connected neighbourhoods. Residents and businesses have made it clear, time and again, that they want an accessible local policing team, with local knowledge, dealing with the unique problems in their communities.”
Also welcoming the announcement, Durham Chief Constable Rachel Bacon, National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for the Local Policing Coordination Committee said: “Forces continue to develop plans to tackle crime in their local neighbourhoods, which will vary depending on various factors such as population, urban or rural and the needs of the local community. Chiefs across England and Wales will take these factors into account, work with partner agencies to ensure communities receive the level of service they expect from policing.”
