New Vision 2025 seeks transformation across entire service

Officers and partners at every level are being asked to work together in delivering the new vision of policing for the decade.

The Policing Vision 2025 was launched at the National Police Chiefs’ Council/Association of Police and Crime Commissioners summit on Wednesday (November 16).

The strategy, jointly drafted by chief constables and police and crime commissioners (PCCs), sets out why and how the service needs to transform over the next ten years.

It will shape decisions around use of resources, and will be overseen by the Police Reform and Transformation Board.

The strategy says: “The communities we serve are increasingly diverse and complex, necessitating a more sophisticated response to the challenges we face now and in the future.

“Whether it be child sexual exploitation, domestic abuse, cybercrime or new threats from serious and organised crime like human trafficking or terrorism, the leaders of the service… acknowledge that if we are to meet communities’ needs, the service must continue to adapt to the modern policing environment.

“This vision is about more than making savings or incremental reform; our ambition is to make transformative change across the whole of policing.”

Six key areas of focus are outlined in the strategy: Local policing; specialist capabilities; workforce; digital policing; enabling business delivery; and governance and accountability.

The first of these comes in response to findings that policing lacks a thorough evidence-based understanding of demand, and that it does not always work efficiently with partners to reduce strain on resources.

The Vision is intended to address this by encouraging collaboration with other agencies to prompt a culture shift around delivery of public protection.

It also recommends adopting a place-based approach with more multi-agency teams to tackle community issues requiring early intervention.

In terms of specialist capabilities, the Vision 2025 aims to enhance the response to threats like terror and cybercrime by sharing services across force borders.

However, the report stressed the importance of ensuring this does not lead to resources being drawn to urban centres to the detriment of rural communities.

The third work stream – updating the workforce – will apparently require “effective leadership and management” to create a culture that values difference and diversity.

The report’s authors also recognised the importance of ensuring people have the right skills to do their jobs.

To achieve this, they hope to expand opportunities around joining, exiting and re-entering the service, providing academic accreditation and creating new frameworks of continuing professional development.

Leaders will also work with statutory regulators to define a better balance between personal accountability and fear of making mistakes.

And the future-looking report promises to build an evidence base on staff wellbeing to support personnel.

The main goal for improving digital policing centres on simplifying electronic processes for contacting the police, alongside improving use of digital evidence and intelligence.

The new approach to delivering business support functions will focus heavily on collaboration, and will see policing work more closely with partners including the Police IT Company to make savings.

The final target area lays out goals for future governance and centres on the roles of PCCs, who are being asked to remain at the heart of reform plans and building relationships with partners.

The Vision 2025 was welcomed by Steve White, president of the Police Federation of England and Wales.

However, Mr White stressed that any strategy must be sure to properly support those working on the front line.

Mr White said: “The police service has reached breaking point today, so a clear and achievable vision for the police service of tomorrow is one that we must all get behind. It cannot continue as it is.

“We will all play our part but, as ever, it is the frontline that will be the driving force in a