Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral evidence of the Minister for Policing and the Fire Service of 19 June 2018 to the Home Affairs Select Committee, on Policing for the future, Q 564, HC 515, for what reasons neighbourhood policing has degraded.
Crime and risk is changing but this Government continues to believe that good neighbourhood policing remains at the core of the British model of how we protect the public. That is why we are increasing total investment in the police system by over £460m in 2018-19, of which more than £280m from increased council tax precept will go direct to forces to spend locally.
It is for operationally independent Chief Constables to decide how to best deploy officers in their force area to effectively serve and engage their communities and to build their trust and confidence. Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are elected by the public to hold Chief constables and the force to account; making the police answerable to the communities they serve.
HMICFRS has raised concerns about neighbourhood policing being eroded since the Government moved away from a centralised model. This year, inspectors found improvement but remain concerned about the balance between short-term response to demand, and longer-term prevention activity.
The College of Policing published guidelines on modernising neighbourhood policing in March 2018. This year’s HMICFRS effectiveness report recommended that forces review their approach by October 2018 against these standards. The National Police Chiefs’ Council has also established an implementation group to support forces.