Home Secretary should reform failing police forces - think tank

The Home Secretary should use their powers to reform "failing" police forces and replace the chief constable if necessary, a report has found.

Policy Exchange, a centre-right think tank, says some common offences are "in essence almost entirely decriminalised" because policing has "lost its way".

The report's author, former detective chief inspector David Spencer, said significant intervention was needed.

Boris Johnson said making Britain safer has always been a priority.

The report cited recent polling which suggests the public feels police officers are "more interested in being woke than solving crimes".

It said police should avoid acts that may be intended to show solidarity against discrimination, such as taking the knee or wearing a badge on their uniform.

These acts could be interpreted as having "a partisan political view" and "has the potential to be hugely damaging to public confidence," the report said.

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Mr Spencer said the police's ability to solve common crime is "woefully low" with only 3.5% of residential burglaries, 6.3% of robberies and 4.1% of thefts solved during the last year.

He said tackling online crime should be a priority for law enforcement and government.

"Less than 2% of all police officers in the UK are dedicated to the investigation of fraud or the sexual abuse of children online," Mr Spencer said.

"The threats to individuals, the public and wider society from online child abusers, computer hackers and online fraudsters are huge and growing."

He said the government's aim to recruit 20,000 more police officers in England and Wales by 2023 "will fail to make any real contribution to tackling the online threat" because they are mostly "uniformed police officers deployed to do traditional policing".

"British policing simply does not have the capability or the capacity to tackle online-based criminality," he said.

"As a result, these offences are in essence almost entirely decriminalised."

The report said regulations should urgently be amended to allow police chiefs to dismiss officers found guilty of criminality or serious misconduct.

Boris Johnson will meet new front-line officers as one of his last visits as prime minister

Mr Johnson will meet new police officers on the frontline on Wednesday as part of one of his final visits as prime minister.

Speaking ahead of his visit, Mr Johnson said: "Making our streets safer has always been central to my mission to level up this country, because everyone should have the security, confidence and opportunity that comes from having a safe street and a safe home, wherever they live."

He said the government is cracking down on "vile gangs" and putting dangerous offenders behind bars for longer.

He said the government's plan to recruit 20,000 new officers will provide the "firepower for years to come in the fight against crime".

The government says more than 13,790 extra police officers have been hired across England and Wales as part of Mr Johnson's pledge to put 20,000 additional officers on the streets.

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