Strategic Review of Policing: It's time to start asking what are we not going to do in order to focus on other issues?

24 February 2022

Policing is under-resourced and officers constantly have to deal with social problems rather than fight crime, the head of an independent policing review has said, comments that “come as no surprise” to the Chair of Kent Police Federation. 

Sir Michael Barber is leading a Strategic Review of Policing, which will make more than 50 recommendations for the future of forces in England and Wales.

Ahead of its publication, Sir Michael said: "Too often our police are effectively a social service dealing more with mental health and family breakdown than fighting crime.” He added that there “aren’t enough police”, they “haven’t got the best technology” and they face an “organisational challenge” with crimes like fraud needing to be “strategically addressed from the centre” while forces around the country tackle local offending.

Kent Police Federation Chair Neil Mennie said: “These comments will come as no surprise and it's something that we in policing have been saying for some time. Given the workloads of officers constantly being outstripped by demand, solutions need to be found. 

“It's time to again ask the question, ‘What are we not going to do?’ in order to focus on other issues. This is about the wellbeing and confidence of our members in having a sensible workload that allows them to do the type of work they joined to do. 

“Many will recognise that these are not new issues, but rather a ratification of what policing has been dealing with for some time.” 

Neil added: “Of course, we will wait to see if anyone is listening this time and if they actually invest in other services and stop utilising us as a convenient transfer of risk and responsibility.”