Police officers to be told they must get work licence or face dismissal
Every police officer in England and Wales will need to have a license to continue working, the Home Office has said.
Under the terms of a phased program similar to those for lawyers or doctors, they will need to prove they have the right skills to tackle violence against women and girls or face dismissal.
Under separate proposals unveiled on Friday, ministers would be given new powers to sack chief constables and intervene in forces deemed failing.
The plans are part of a series of expected reforms Home Affairs Minister Shabana Mahmood vows to oversee biggest shake-up police profession for decades.
Officers will need to renew what the Home Office calls a ‘license to practice’ throughout their careers, keeping up to date with the latest methods and guidance. Training will be implemented gradually.
The aim is to ensure that the new standardized program is clearer to follow across all 43 police forces in England and Wales.
Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones said: “Every police officer needs to stay fit to protect their communities. As crime evolves, we expect policing to evolve faster.”
“A license to practice will equip any officer, whether new to the police force or a veteran, with the skills and abilities to do the job.”
Last week it was announced that the interior minister would be given new powers to dismiss police chiefs.
On Friday, ministers were given additional legal powers that could force poorly performing police chiefs to “retire, resign or suspend” police chiefs.
Currently only the police and crime commissioners have this power.
Ministers will also be able to send in “specialist teams” to turn back forces if crime-solving rates or police response times are poor.
The government said new targets for policing will also be introduced and made public.
“It is important that the public can determine what they expect from their own forces,” Mahmood said in a statement. he said.
This comes after Mahmood said last week: West Midlands Police chief Craig loses trust in Guildford after Israeli football fans He was banned from the match against Aston Villa. He later retired from the force.
Sir Andy Cooke, who leads Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), welcomed the plans. The body independently evaluates the effectiveness and efficiency of police forces.
“Where the police force is failing the public, there must be an open and fair system to ensure that concerns are taken into account. The inspectorate is a vital part of this system,” he said.
“These reforms will help address underperformance more quickly, while supporting forces to respond more effectively to our advice, so every community gets the policing support they deserve.”
On Monday, as part of his reform plan, the home secretary will pledge to “significantly” reduce the number of forces from the current level of 43 and tell them to focus on serious and organized crime.
However, the Police Federation of England and Wales said: “The current structure of policing has entrenched a postcode lottery in terms of what the public sees, as well as how officers are led, supported and treated.
“Less force does not guarantee more or better policing for communities. If the public and officers are to see reform happen in the real world, there needs to be significant investment in skills, abilities and equipment.”
