Police Reform
Independent Review of Policing by Sir Ronnie Flanagan
Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the Home Secretary’s senior professional advisor on policing and HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary, has been appointed to lead an independent review of the police service.
Home Secretary's response to Sir Ronnie Flanagan's Review of Policing final report
On 9 April 2008, the Home Secretary wrote to Sir Ronnie Flanagan in response to the Review of Policing final report and the recommendations made within it.
Read the Home Secretary's response
Final Report
On 7 February 08, Sir Ronnie Flanagan presented the Final Report of his Review of Policing to the Home Secretary.
The final report focuses on the need to better manage the risks in order to reduce the threat to the public and reduce the harm caused by crime. This is approached by:
- freeing up space by improving and strengthening the structures and systems that support policing
- improving performance and developing the workforce through better management of resources
- freeing up space by reducing unnecessary bureaucracy
- delivering in partnership through neighbourhood policing and involving local people
A Welsh language version of the Final Report of the Review of Policing is also available.
In a statement to the House of Commons the Home Secretary accepted Sir Ronnie Flanagan's recommendations. The Home Secretary also made a number of announcements including:
- scrapping the lengthy form used to record stop and account
- streamlining the form used to record stop and search
- introducing a new standard one page form to record crime
- a project to streamline IT systems to make them more compatible
Recommendations
Key recommendations in the review of policing final report suggest:
- reducing the amount of information routinely recorded for many crimes while retaining extensive recording for serious crimes. It is recommended that this should be trialled in a new streamlined crime recording process across four forces - Staffordshire, Leicestershire, West Midlands and Surrey.
- an overhaul of the current stop and account process, which will mean removing the form completed by officers after stop and account situations and replacing it with a ‘receipt’ of the encounter and a verbal record on Airwave, the digital radio network used by the emergency services. This should be trialled this year.
- that the current receipt based system for stop and search remains, but is enhanced once new technology emerges.
- adopting standardised forms as recommended in the interim report and following this over time with the implementation of mobile data technology, such as handheld computers.
- removing the floors and ceilings from the operation of the police funding formula so that funding goes to the areas of highest need.
- that partnership working between the police and local and central government is properly integrated into mainstream policing and that the police are fully equipped to work effectively in partnership to enable them to deliver strong public protection. The successful implementation of neighbourhood policing should be used as an example of this kind of practice.
- strengthening accountability of the police at a local level so that the public’s views are heard and their police service is responsive to their needs.
- consideration of the options presented by the review for structural reform of accountability mechanisms.
In preparation for the report, Sir Ronnie Flanagan worked with the police service and a wide range of organisations and individuals to harness the energy and ideas from within and outside of policing.
Equality Impact Assessment
An Equality Impact Assessment report was also published on the same day. Sir Ronnie Flanagan requested that an Equality Impact Assessment Group was set up to work with the Review team to ensure that equality was mainstreamed throughout the whole review process. An Equality Impact Assessment is essential to enable a thorough and systematic assessment and consultation on the effects that the Review is likely to have on people, depending on their racial group, gender, sexuality, etc.
It is important that the Review's recommendations secure the support of all stakeholders and communities in England and Wales and the Equality Impact Assessment team took into account the seven strands of diversity; Age, Disability, Faith, Gender, Race, Sexual Orientation and Transgender in conducting this piece of work.
A Welsh language version of the Equality Impact Assessment Report is also available.
Interim Report
On 12 September 2007, Sir Ronnie Flanagan presented the interim report of his review of the police service to the Home Secretary. A Welsh summary of the interim report and its recommendations is also available. The Home Secretary responded to Sir Ronnie Flanagan on 29 November 2007, outlining the government's position on the recommendations made in the interim report and updating Sir Ronnie Flanagan on progress made so far.
The interim report included early recommendations to quickly address the challenges faced on reducing bureaucracy and neighbourhood policing and some initial observations on improving local accountability and managing resources.
