LONDON (ChatnewsTV) — Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is set to announce sweeping reforms aimed at enhancing police performance and restoring public confidence. A new Home Office unit dedicated to monitoring and improving policing standards will be revealed in a speech this Tuesday at the annual conference of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the Association for Police and Crime Commissioners.
Cooper’s announcement is part of a broader strategy to form a new partnership between the Home Office and police forces across the country.
“This is a critical juncture for the future of policing,” Cooper is expected to say.
“If we are to remain equipped to fight the fast-changing challenges of today and tomorrow, then policing must evolve.”
The newly established unit will use national data to track police performance, specifically targeting high-priority areas such as reducing violence against women and girls, tackling knife crime, and strengthening neighborhood policing. This marks the first time in over a decade that a Home Office unit will directly oversee police standards.
The unit will build upon existing frameworks set by the College of Policing, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), and Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs).
“We have a huge opportunity ahead of us to reset the relationship between government and the police,” Cooper will emphasize.
“Strong and consistent performance is critical to commanding public confidence.”
The new measures will include monitoring the amount of time officers spend on the frontline, using local police data to ensure greater visibility and accessibility. Police response times—currently inconsistent across regions—will be standardized, addressing a long-standing concern among the public.
Additionally, the Home Office plans to use police data on child sexual abuse to better identify hidden crimes and boost victim confidence. This data-driven approach will also extend to police misconduct and vetting standards to ensure unfit officers are removed from duty, a move aimed at rebuilding trust.
The reforms have garnered support from police leadership, with a renewed focus on reconnecting policing with the communities they serve. The Home Secretary’s plans are part of a government commitment to elevate the powers of HMICFRS to intervene in underperforming forces and to work closely with PCCs to improve standards.
Cooper is set to highlight the importance of “policing by consent” and her ambition to modernize these founding principles for the 21st century.
“We can mobilize behind this mission and deliver a fairer, safer country for all,” she will declared.
