Government must fund reform, says Federation chair
8 July 2026
Police needs a fundamental reset in how it recruits, develops and supports leaders, according to a new report.
The report comes from the Police Leadership Commission which is chaired by Lord Blunkett, a former Home Secretary, and Lord Herbert, a former police minister.
“This report backs up what the Police Federation has been saying for many years,” says Jess Davies, chair of West Midlands Police Federation, “We are in the midst of an officer retention crisis which is seeing the police service losing years and years of experience. This has to be tackled as a matter of urgency and the Government must not only fund reform but also come up with a programme of sustained investment in policing that also puts a focus on leadership training.
“Among the experienced officers we are losing there will be many who could have been our senior officers and leaders in the future, but instead they are bowing out of the police service due to low morale, increased demand, a pay structure that has not kept pace with inflation and poor mental health due to the pressures of the job.
“The number one priority of any Government has to be the safety and security of the public and we cannot have an effective and efficient 21st police service dependant on 20th century funding.”
Evidence
The report follows months of gathering evidence from across policing with submissions from the Police Federation and thousands of officers in forces across England and Wales.
Many of the report's conclusions, the national Federation believes, will be familiar to officers because they reflect long-standing concerns about excessive workloads, limited support and the growing challenge of retaining experienced personnel.
The review paints a picture of a service under considerable pressure, where supervisors are often overwhelmed by the demands placed upon them, talented officers can struggle to progress, and experienced staff are leaving policing before reaching their full potential.
The Federation says decades of underinvestment in leadership development have left policing without the support needed to nurture and retain effective leaders at every rank.
It has welcomed recommendations on improved leadership training, stronger supervision, fairer promotion processes and clearer opportunities for career development.
The organisation has also backed proposals aimed at recognising and retaining experienced frontline officers, increasing national investment in leadership development and introducing a new rank of senior constable.
The Federation is calling on the Home Office to provide the funding required to deliver the report’s recommendations and ensure police forces are held accountable for putting reforms into practice.
