Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has unveiled what she describes as the most significant transformation of policing in nearly two centuries, with a sweeping set of measures aimed at cutting crime across England and Wales. Drawing from her own childhood experiences in Birmingham, where her family faced shoplifting and intimidation, Mahmood emphasised that no crime should be dismissed as trivial.
A Personal Motivation for Change
In a powerful address, Mahmood recounted growing up above her family's shop in a Birmingham neighbourhood during the 1980s and early 1990s, where criminal activity was an everyday reality. She revealed that her father eventually resorted to keeping a cricket bat behind the counter to deter local thugs, illustrating the profound impact that so-called "low-level" crimes can have on communities.
"I know the impact crime has on a community," Mahmood stated. "And I know that everyday crimes, like shop theft and antisocial behaviour, tear away at a place like the one I grew up in. As Home Secretary, I am driven by the belief that no community should be victim to the scourge of criminality."
The Scale of the Challenge
While acknowledging police achievements, including a 5% reduction in knife crime and nearly 20% fewer knife murders in the past year, Mahmood highlighted concerning trends. Shoplifting has surged by 72% since 2010, while street theft incidents like phone snatching and pick-pocketing have increased by 58%. She described an "epidemic of everyday crime" that too often goes unpunished, compounded by the digital evolution of offences where most crimes now have an online component.
Key Components of the Reform Package
Creating a National Police Service
The centrepiece of Mahmood's announcement is the establishment of a new National Police Service, which she likened to a British version of America's FBI. This unified body will consolidate the policing of terrorism, serious organised crime, and fraud, addressing crimes that cross regional borders and operate on a nationwide scale.
Restructuring Local Forces
Recognising inconsistencies among the existing 43 police forces in England and Wales, the Home Secretary outlined a plan to create fewer, larger forces capable of delivering high-quality policing consistently. Each force will focus exclusively on its designated area, with smaller local policing districts established within them to tackle neighbourhood crime directly.
"Where you live in this country today too often determines the experience you get from your local force," Mahmood observed, underscoring the need for standardisation.
Technological Modernisation
The reforms include substantial investment in police technology to bridge the gap between forces already using advanced tools and those still reliant on analogue systems. Mahmood emphasised the importance of adopting cutting-edge solutions like facial recognition to help apprehend serious offenders such as rapists and murderers.
Enhanced Accountability Measures
To ensure public trust, the Government will implement performance targets for police forces, requiring them to report outcomes both to officials and directly to communities. Where performance falters, turnaround teams will be deployed, and Mahmood will reclaim the authority to dismiss Chief Constables in extreme cases where improvement proves impossible.
Implementation and Expectations
Mahmood acknowledged that these ambitious reforms will require time to fully implement but pledged immediate action. The initiative builds on existing efforts, including plans to deploy 13,000 additional neighbourhood police officers, with 3,000 expected by March.
"We've got great police officers across this country," she concluded. "But we've got a policing system that isn't serving them, and isn't serving the public. So, it's time we changed. These reforms are ambitious – and they will take time. But we won't waste a minute in getting started."
The overarching goal, Mahmood affirmed, is to deliver local policing that protects individual communities alongside a national force that safeguards the entire country, marking a historic step toward modernising law enforcement for contemporary challenges.
