The government will publish its long-awaited Police Reform Bill next month when Parliament returns from the summer recess.
This Bill represents the most radical reform of English and Welsh policing for over a century.
Much of the content of the reform programme was trailed earlier this year in the White Paper “From local to national: a new model for policing”.
Police reform is long overdue.
We need a model for policing that is fit for the modern world, driven by the goals of ensuring that police services are equipped to make our communities safer.
There is much to welcome in what is expected to be included in the Bill, though there will be questions and debate about specific proposals.
The key reforms are:
- the creation of a new National Police Service (NPS) to absorb counter terrorism policing, the National Crime Agency (NCA), the College of Policing, elements of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) functions, national forensics and support services including IT and commercial services
- new powers to direct local or regional police services from the centre
- potential mergers of police services into regional or subregional services
- strengthened local policing
- enhancing police leadership at all levels
- stronger performance setting, monitoring and accountability with new turnaround teams and in extremis powers for the Home Secretary to intervene
- co-ordination of police use of AI and data management
- the introduction of mandatory, robust vetting standards to exclude those with convictions for violence against women and girls, alongside the introduction of a career-long “Licence to Practise” for officers
- the replacement of Police and Crime Commissioners with local policing boards comprising councillors from the unitary local authorities or, where there are elected subregional mayors, they will be responsible for local policing governance – in Bedfordshire there will be a local policing board
I have been privileged to have been involved in the development of the performance, commercial, data and Police AI policies through my national portfolio at the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC).
Improved outcomes
I am supportive of the government’s overarching aims and objectives. I believe that they will lead to improved outcomes for the public.
It will be important to study the details of the Police Reform Bill when published, and as Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire, I will do so by asking what is in the best interest of the residents, communities and businesses in the county.
I will not be opposing the reforms for the sake of opposing them.
Throughout the last year I have attempted to influence proposals to improve their efficacy. The government has listened to the police service, its leaders, police and crime commissioners and other sector stakeholders.
Consensus for support
There is consensus in support of much of what will be in the Bill.
My key criteria for evaluating what police reform proposals are:
- does a specific proposal, and does the overall package enhance the ability of the police to prevent, respond to and solve all crimes?
- is democratic local accountability maintained and ideally strengthened?
- will local policing be able to focus on problem-solving, partnership with local authorities and other public agencies, be embedded in local communities and draw on resources from larger regional and national police services?
- are the transition affordable, and can they be managed in ways that do not lead to temporary or long-term dips in performance?
- will resources be liberated to support front-line policing?
- will police officers and police staff benefit, though the aim must be better outcomes for the public?
- can local and regional police services continue to be innovative and responsive to their local communities?
- will the public scrutiny of policing and use of its powers, and the grant support for local voluntary organisations undertaken by PCC be continued?
I would not wish to see police services that are too remote from local communities, so if there are regional services that are too large, the key will be how can and how will local policing units respond and account to their residents and not only upwards to regional chief constables.
I could see the benefits of greater collaboration, such as building on the successful Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire alliance, which could morph.
I finish with a quote from Sir Robert Peel, MP and Prime Minister, who created the modern police service in 1829
“The police are the public, and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence”.
Any reform in 2026 must ensure that these principles endure.
This is a monthly guest column provided by
elected Police and Crime Commissioner, John Tizard (Labour).
It is published unedited and does
not reflect the views of the Bedford Independent.
