STORY
Policing Minister Sarah Jones has asked the police inspectorate to assess the support available to police officers and staff across England and Wales. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services will consider the current provision and identify what further action may be required at force and national level.
Jones announced the assessment during a speech to the Police Superintendents’ Association conference in Stratford upon Avon. She said the Government was placing workforce support at the centre of its police reform programme, with an additional £2.4 million being provided through the Police Covenant during the current financial year. The minister paid tribute to six officers who had died during the previous year and acknowledged the pressure experienced by officers and their families.
The speech also confirmed that the Government intends to introduce a new police funding formula alongside wider structural reforms. Its plans include stronger Local Policing Areas, a National Police Service for cross border threats and changes intended to reduce duplication among the 43 territorial forces. Jones said a separate Police Workforce Strategy was being developed, while the Government’s full response to recommendations on police leadership from Lord Blunkett and Lord Herbert would be published during the autumn.