Category: News

Responding to the Home Office’s announcement of the police funding settlement for 2019-20, Association President Gavin Thomas said:  “Whilst I welcome this injection of funding, it is still far short of what the service requires in order to effectively meet the challenges of 21st century policing.   “Much greater levels of investment will be needed in the future to ensure policing can continue to meet all that is currently asked of it, as well as develop its people, continue to attract high quality officers and staff, and get ahead of crime and threats to public safety.    “A significant proportion of the extra funding announced today will also need to come from Police and Crime Commissioners increasing the council tax...

The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee has published the findings of its inquiry into the financial sustainability of police forces. The report makes five recommendations for the Home Office: develop better measurements of both crime and non-crime demand for police services and use these to inform their bid for funding in the next Spending Review; immediately establish a regular review process for assessing forces’ financial sustainability, setting out how it will use information and data collected by HMICFRS to inform its assessment; urgently commit to reviewing the funding formula, and after consultation, deploy a new funding formula as soon as practicable; set out how it plans to improve the delivery of national projects, in particular by streamlining its processes and fully engaging with forces and others...

The Home Affairs Committee has urged the Government to prioritise policing in the Autumn Budget and the next Comprehensive Spending Review, warning that without additional funding for policing, there will be dire consequences for public safety and criminal justice. The wide-ranging “Policing for the Future” report looks at the changing demands on policing, and the Committee found that forces are struggling to cope in the face of changing and rising crimes, as a result of falling staff numbers, outdated technology, capabilities, structures, fragmentation and a failure of Home Office leadership. It recommends major changes to the police response to new and growing crimes and warns that the Home Office cannot continue to stand back while police forces struggle. Responding to...

Association President Gavin Thomas is leading a group of senior police officers and educators to visit the site of Srebrenica genocide. The visit is part of a four-day delegation organised by the UK Charity Remembering Srebrenica. Delegates will meet survivors of ethnic cleansing and genocide to hear first-hand how extremists deliberately stoked up ethnic and religious tensions to turn neighbours against neighbours and gain power after the fall of Yugoslavia. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, fear, mistrust and hatred were allowed to fester until an integrated society tore itself apart. The visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina comes shortly after the latest crime figures showed that the number of recorded hate crimes directed at people because of their religious beliefs had increased...

Responding to the latest ONS crime figures, which have shown an increase, Association President Gavin Thomas, said:  “These figures have shown a widespread increase in offences of violence. But behind these statistics is a human story of loss, and broken and damaged lives.    “I stated last year that policing was facing a perfect storm with a rise in conventional crime coupled with demand from new volume crimes such as online fraud.   “Policing is frequently now described as stretched, but rising demand as demonstrated by these figures, fewer people in policing, and a funding model that is not fit for purpose actually suggests a service in crisis.    “Despite these enormous challenges, the leadership and the people in this...

The Association’s National Officers are representing the PSA at the National Police Memorial Day service in Belfast. The Memorial Day, now in its 15th year, honours police officers throughout the UK who have given their lives in the line of duty. The service is held each year in one of the four countries of the UK, and takes place on the nearest Sunday to September 29, St Michael’s Day, who is the Patron Saint of Police Officers. This year’s service is held at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast and will bring together colleagues, family and friends from across the police service in remembrance of more than 4,000 officers.  Association President Chief Superintendent Gavin Thomas said:  “Not a day goes by...

The Police Superintendents’ Association has partnered with Deloitte and the Police Foundation in a new report on the future of policing, now available.  Policing 4.0: Deciding the Future of Policing in the UK was launched at an event in London by a panel including Association President Gavin Thomas, NPCC Chair Sara Thorton, and Home Affairs Select Committee Chair Yvette Cooper MP.  The reports finds that policing in the UK is changing: rapid developments in technology, spending reductions and profound shifts in society and patterns of crime have contributed to changes in police structures, recruitment approaches, ways of engaging the public, investigative methods, approaches to preventing crime, supporting victims and protecting the vulnerable.  Key findings include: Policing leaders are working tirelessly and...

Outstanding work by Superintendents across the country in leading complex murder and terrorism investigations, mentoring and developing colleagues, and championing LGBT community issues and has been recognised in this year’s Police Superintendents’ Association President’s Awards. The awards, sponsored by Police Mutual, are presented at the Association’s annual conference. Judged by the President and Vice President of the Association, they recognise the achievements of Superintendents and Chief Superintendents and the contribution they make to policing, to their colleagues and to the public.   This year’s winners are: Lifetime Achievement – Superintendent Nora Holford, Thames Valley Police The force’s longest-serving Superintendent, Supt Holford has held some of the biggest and most demanding roles within the force as well as a tactical firearms...

Good afternoon colleagues and guests, and of course to you Home Secretary.  You are most welcome at our annual conference. Home Secretary, you hold one of the most important Offices of State and are charged with keeping our country and its people safe. My Association has always enjoyed a productive relationship with your predecessors and with your officials. I believe this is important and I can assure you that my Association will always endeavour to nurture that good relationship. We may not agree on every issue, but I think the hallmarks of a healthy relationship are respecting each other’s perspectives, valuing each other’s expertise, and working transparently together. I also believe it’s important that my colleagues once a year hear...