Category: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

Over 370 arrests made nationally following weekend of protests and violent disorder.

Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, NPCC Chair said:

“Every community across the country will have been affected in some way by the violent disorder we have seen in this past week.  

“I want to reassure the public that a united and robust policing response is in place across the country and we are doing all we can to tackle this disorder and keep you safe.  

“All forces have been requested not only to increase the number of specialist resources in their local area, but to contribute to regional reserves, coordinated nationally.  

“So far 378 arrests have been made and we expect that total to rise each day as forces continue to identify those involved and continue to apprehend those responsible. Work is going on around the clock to do this and those involved will be brought to justice.   

“We have been clear that this is not protest activity or people exercising their democratic right. It is unnecessary violence and we’ve seen important community hubs like a Citizen’s Advice Bureau and a library completely destroyed. 

“Policing is not anti-protest, we are anti-crime and we are here to protect the public and keep the peace no matter your beliefs.  

“Violent disorder is a serious offence which often comes with a lengthy jail term so be assured we are taking these offences seriously have full support of our criminal justice partners to do this.  

“The people involved in this criminality do not represent the views of our communities and it has been heartening to see people coming together to support each other and their local forces. 

“This is a challenging time for forces and I want to extend my thanks to the officers and staff who have carried out their roles with dignity, bravery and professionalism in the face of sustained violence and assaults.  

“There have been a number of officers injured, some have been hospitalised after putting themselves in harm’s way to protect others, and I wish them a full recovery.  

“Officers do not go to work to be assaulted or attacked and it is completely unacceptable.”  

Violent disorder driven by disinformation and social media rumours

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for public order, BJ Harrington said:

“Both myself and senior officers across the country promised there would be swift, decisive police action against criminals who try to disrupt our communities. That’s what we have delivered.

“Since last night there have been 147 arrests connected to violence in our towns and cities and I expect that number to rise in the coming days.

“Disinformation is a huge driver of this appalling violence and we know a lot of those attending these so-called protests are doing so in direct response to what they’ve read online.

“Often posts are being shared and amplified by high profile accounts. We’re working hard to counteract this. We know we’re not alone and we are drawing together our communities and our partners to help us do even more to silence those intent on spreading false news. They won’t win.

“We all have a part to play in this; please pay special attention to what you read, share and believe from online sources. Think twice before you act.

“It has been encouraging to see local leaders and communities unite and stand together against the division and hatred these criminals pretending to be protesters are stoking up.

“Intelligence teams, detectives and neighbourhood officers are working round the clock to identify and apprehend those involved and make no mistake, if you haven’t had a knock on the door yet, your time will come.

“The number of gatherings are reducing significantly today but we are in no way complacent and you’ll see officers patrolling communities, ready to tackle disorder, clampdown on violence, and prevent crime, regardless of who the offenders are.

“They have stood strong in the face of attempts to spread disorder and in challenging circumstances and I’d like to once again thank every officer, police staff member and special constable on duty this weekend for the their professionalism and dedication, whether on the street or gathering evidence to bring charges against the dozens of suspects who are already custody.

“Attempts to disrupt our communities have no place in our society and I’d like to thank everyone for the support and solidarity they’ve shown.”

Policing is ready and will not stand by while communities are destroyed. 

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Public Order, Chief Constable BJ Harrington said:

 “This week we have seen appalling behaviour that in no way shows compassion or respect for the little girls who were killed and injured last week.  It shows no respect for our communities, and it will be stopped.

“We know people will try and do this again in the coming days and policing has been and will continue to be ready.

“There are 130 extra units in place across the country, meaning almost 4000 extra public order trained officers to deploy.

“So if you’re planning to cause trouble and disorder our message is very simple – we’ll be watching you.  Anyone committing a criminal offence will be detained and brought before the courts.

“In recent days we have seen criminals masquerading as protesters, causing senseless destruction.

“These people are not protestors, they’re violent thugs – and many have already been arrested and charged.

Police officers have been subjected to sustained levels of violence as they try to protect the communities they serve. And importantly communities have been damaged and property destroyed. This is completely unacceptable, and anyone found to have played even a small role in this abhorrent behaviour will face robust action.

“If you’ve been involved but haven’t been arrested yet, your time will come. Forces will be using all tools available to track you down.

“To the good people whose towns and city centres have been affected; we stand with you. We are here to protect and to serve you. I want to thank you for your support.

“I want to thank every officer and member of staff who is working tirelessly to restore normality – Your bravery and professionalism is outstanding.

“These mindless thugs do not speak for us. Policing is part of every community – we are committed to keeping you safe and will not tolerate these mindless attempts at division.

“We are always stronger together so let’s continue to support each other.”

 

Police Chiefs are working together to step up resourcing this coming weekend after outbreaks of violent disorder

Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, NPCC Chair said:

“Police will not stand by and let criminals carry out unnecessary violence in our communities.

“I’d like the public to know there is a robust and united response in place across the country, and police chiefs have agreed to step up resourcing this weekend.

“It is our job to be prepared and forces are working together at a local, regional and national level to gather and share intelligence and to make sure we are ready to tackle any violent disorder which might arise.

“Our message to anyone thinking of getting involved in this type of criminality is clear – if you cause violence, you will face the full force of the law and we have the full backing of our criminal justice partners.

“The Prime Minister has also announced new measures to help strengthen our policing capability in this area. Discussions are still in the early stages and we welcome this support and engagement from government.”

Policing’s response to the creation of a National Violent Disorder Programme.

Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, NPCC Chair said:

“This has been an incredibly tough week for those communities affected and my thoughts are with the bereaved, their families and also with the first responders who have been dealing with the outbreaks of unnecessary and senseless violence.

“This is a time for communities to unite and support each other – they shouldn’t have to experience the disgraceful disorder carried out these last two nights by a minority who’s only aim is to divide us.

“Policing leaders are working together to make sure our communities are fully supported and our response is coordinated.

“This type of violent disorder is completely inexcusable and forces will be using every tool at their disposal to identify those involved. Anyone found responsible will face the full force of the law, and we will make sure our communities get justice.  

“I would like to thank all the officers and first responders involved for their bravery and unity. At times like these it is encouraging to see the way forces come together to support each other, as well as the wider public.

“All of us in public leadership or in positions of influence have a responsibility to use our platform to help bring people together. It is more important than ever for us to call out disinformation, highlight harmful practices, report and condemn criminal and work together for a better society.

“We welcome any support which helps us to strengthen our policing capability to deal with these types of incidents. We look forward to working with government and receiving more details on the creation of a National Violent Disorder Programme and further work on tools such as Live Facial Recognition.”

Technology will enhance police response to emergency incidents

• Simulated demonstration shows how Drone as First Responder would work in practice
• Trials to continue through 2024-2025

Norfolk Constabulary has one of the UK’s most effective police drone units and was chosen by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) to lead a trial of Drone as First Responder (DFR) that will see drones remotely deployed to be first on the scene of police incidents.

Collaborating with the University of East Anglia at their Norwich campus for one of the first demonstrations of DFR technology, Norfolk Constabulary’s Drones Team show how an emergency call about a ‘missing person’ could be tasked to a drone stationed in a weatherproof box on a roof nearby.  The drone is launched and piloted remotely to assist in the search, providing real-time footage to the control room, supporting the Force Incident Manager in not only providing a fast response but also informing what additional resource could be needed.

The imagery is then available for subsequent investigation or prosecution and the drone initially deployed can team with neighbouring DFR drones to effect handovers when battery levels mean the on-scene drone needs to return to base. At the end of the task, they will return to their boxes and re-charge to prepare for the next deployment. 

Superintendent Taryn Evans is strategic lead for the National Police Chiefs’ Council Drones team. She said:

“The Norfolk trial is an important showcase of just how effective DFR can be at supporting our response to 999 calls, arriving on scene quickly and giving invaluable ‘eyes in the sky’.

“Each trial enables us to test how DFR could work in different environments and support different operational purposes, enhancing both public and officer safety.”

Norfolk Constabulary Superintendent Phill Gray said:

“We’re pleased to collaborate with the NPCC, Home Office and UEA in testing and developing new technology which enhances the service we provide to our local communities and improves public safety.”

Prof Gerard Parr, Chair in Telecommunications Engineering at UEA’s School of Computing Sciences, said:

“It’s great to be able to further develop our partnership on innovative technology initiatives with Norfolk Constabulary. We are delighted to utilise our facilities to support police colleagues with this demonstration, which showcases the latest in police drone technology.

“The large size of the university’s 360-acre estate means we are occasionally called upon to assist emergency services in searches for missing people, and anything that can aid these searches is really positive. I want to thank our UEA Estates team for facilitating our police colleagues in this initiative.

“We hope to develop our collaborations further with Norfolk Police to provide employment opportunities for our Computing Science graduates and also explore joint research projects.”

DFR promises to transform the response to 999 calls. By getting to the scene of any incident in an urban or rural fringe environment within minutes and providing a bird’s eye view directly into a force’s incident room, the emergency response can be much better tailored. Not only will this support in delivering a faster and more efficient emergency response but the real-time view it provides will enhance both public and officer safety.

Drones can be used effectively alongside traditional air support to provide a blended response which is fast and can reduce environmental impact.

The Norfolk trial is part of four DFR trials across the country, the first led by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police at the Isle of Wight Festival where a simulated DFR capability was deployed alongside the force’s routine police drones resource. This will be replicated in further trials at a range of events throughout the summer.

An additional trial is also in planning with West Midlands Police later in 2024.

DFR is part of a larger NPCC Drones programme, which is establishing robust governance, standardisation and sharing of expertise across the UK’s wide network of police drone operators. The work to date has focused on improvements to the way the 400 drones already flown by UK police officers are operated within visual line of sight (VLOS). This aims to increase confidence in police drone operations by the regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority, which should in turn facilitate an easier transition to beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and DFR operations in the future.

Officer pay to be increased by 4.75%

Assistant Chief Officer Phil Wells is National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Pay and Conditions. Responding to today’s announcement, he said: 

“Policing today received the announcement that the recommendations from the Police Pay Review Body and Senior Salaries Review Body have been accepted by government to increase all officer pay by 4.75%. Evidence was presented to both review bodies outlining the long-term pay erosion in policing over the past decade, extremely demanding nature of the role and the continued need to attract high quality candidates and retain officers with skills and experience to effectively tackle ever more complex crime, protected the most vulnerable and build trust through neighbourhood policing. We are pleased that this has been taken on board by both the review bodies in their recommendations and by government.

“We recognise the financial pressures on government and competing demands, and therefore welcome government’s contribution towards the funding of this pay award on the cost above 2.5%, but given the significant budgetary challenges faced by many police forces absorbing 2.5% will not be without its impact. Funding has been committed by government in year (2024/ 2025) but the cost beyond March 2025 are not yet confirmed and we look forward to working with the new government to enable long-term financial security so we can invest properly in officers, staff, training, and technology as part of a future spending review.”

 

3,000 offences recorded each day

Police chiefs have outlined the scale of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in England and Wales in a national policing statement bringing together comprehensive data and analysis. 

Policing has undergone significant changes to the way it tackles violence against women and girls in recent years. Progress has been made to drive standards and consistency across all police forces. 

However, due to the epidemic scale of offending, police leaders are calling for a whole-system approach that brings together criminal justice partners, government bodies and industry, in a new partnership that seeks to reduce the scale and impact of VAWG. 

Scale 

The National Policing Statement for VAWG, commissioned by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and College of Policing, found: 

• Over one million VAWG related crimes were recorded during 2022/23, accounting for 20% of all police recorded crime. 
• Police recorded VAWG related crime increased by 37% between 2018/23. 

• At least 1 in every 12 women will be a victim per year, with the exact number expected to be much higher. 

• Child sexual abuse and exploitation increased by more than 400% between 2013 and 2022. 

Not only is VAWG growing, but we are also seeing ever more complicated types of offending which causes significant harm to victims and society as a whole. One in every six murders related to domestic abuse in 22/23, with suspected victim suicides following domestic abuse rising year-on-year. 

Police progress 

We are transforming the way police officers investigate rape and serious sexual offences and over the last year we have trained over 4,500 new officers in investigating this complex crime. We are also working closer than ever with prosecutors and ensuring all investigations are focussed on the actions of the alleged perpetrator, not the victim.   

Early data shows a 25% increase in the number of arrests (2022/23 compared with 2019/20), and a 38% increase in charges for rape (year to December 2023 compared with the same period).  

Domestic abuse (DA) remains one of biggest demands on policing, with arrests for domestic abuse related offences increasing by over 22% in the year ending March 2023, compared to the previous period. Whilst this is a positive shift, we acknowledge that this is only the start and there is still more to do. 

Policing has ensured violence against women and girls is now officially classed as a national threat by government and a refreshed national framework has brought the police response to VAWG in line with counter-terrorism. This includes the adoption of a tried and tested methodology used in counter-terrorism policing – the ‘4P’ approach, which underpins every police force’s plan to tackle VAWG: 

• Prepare: forces must have the right culture, skills and resources   

• Protect: action is being taken to protect individuals, families and communities 

• Pursue: perpetrators of violence are being relentlessly pursued  

• Prevent: policing must work with partners as part of a whole-system approach 

Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth, Deputy CEO of the College of Policing and NPCC lead for violence against women and girls, said: 

“We are absolutely determined to turn the tide on violence and abuse faced by women and girls and will continue to work tirelessly to do better for victims. 

“Our focus will always be to bring the men behind these pervasive crimes to justice. By enhancing the way we use data and intelligence, we will improve our ability to identify, intercept and arrest those causing the most harm in communities. 

“We know that continuous improvement is needed to strengthen policing’s response to VAWG. Improvements must be driven nationally, ensuring consistency from force to force to give victims the service they expect and deserve.” 

Whole-system approach 

Violence against women and girls is at such a scale that it cannot be addressed through law enforcement alone. 1 in 20 people are estimated to be perpetrators of VAWG per year, with the actual number thought to be significantly higher. 

Evidence shows many of these perpetrators will have touch points with a number of agencies outside of policing through their life, presenting opportunities for intervention.  

This includes health, education, local authority, voluntary sector and industry all working in tandem with the criminal justice system, sharing data and responsibilities to effect change across the board. 

Policing next steps 

We are committed to the pursuit of perpetrators who cause significant harm and often offend repeatedly, through a new invigorated approach to offender management. This will maximise the use of technology and intelligence across law enforcement. 

The creation of a dedicated policing hub, the National Centre for Public Protection, would support forces with specialist knowledge and training for investigators and officers, and lead on a national approach to preventative work with other agencies. Ultimately, this would deliver a better service to victims through quality investigations and victim care. 

Maggie continues: 

“A centralised hub within policing that brings together specialised skill sets and capabilities would support police forces in improving their response to VAWG. 

“However, this will only achieve progress as part of a wider, effective criminal justice system, which at present is overwhelmed and under-performing for victims. 

“Violence against women and girls is a national emergency. We need the support and direction of government to intervene and address the current problems within the criminal justice system and lead the way on a whole-system approach to VAWG. 

“We aspire to a position where an effective criminal justice response to VAWG is the last resort. We need to move forward as a society to make change and no longer accept VAWG as inevitable.”  

Sophie Francis-Cansfield, Head of External Affairs at Women’s Aid, said: 

“While the findings of the National Polices Chiefs’ Council and College into the scale of violence against women and girls in this country are alarming, it is important to remember that many survivors will not report their experiences to the police, therefore we know the issue will be much larger than the data shows. 

“Women’s Aid agree that violence against women and girls is a national threat, and echoes calls for a whole-system approach to tackling the problem and centres the most marginalised. This includes coordination between the criminal justice system, the government, and experts, and enhanced training and education, delivered by specialist services, to those working in statutory services like the police. Without meaningful collaboration and action, women and children will continue to be failed when it comes to be protected and when seeking justice for the abuse they have endured.” 

Read the full statement here

This is the first deployment of its kind for the volunteer officers

UK Law enforcement is proud to announce the deployment of 50 Special Constables as part of the policing support package for #Paris2024.

Later this month millions of visitors from across the world will travel to France for the iconic Olympic and Paralympic Games.

It is estimated around 500,000 tickets have been sold within the UK – making the country the second largest buyer of tickets behind France.

In April it was confirmed that officers from forces across the UK and its Crown Dependencies would be deployed to help support French officers across Paris and in Marseille, who are leading the security and engagement operation. Specialist search dogs and their handlers will also be in attendance to help with venue security.

In addition to those expert resources, 50 passionate volunteer officers from across the UK will head to France from August to help bolster the response. This is the first time Special Constables have been included in an overseas deployment. They will be joining hundreds of officers from across the globe, who have been deployed to offer their support.

Temporary Assistant Commissioner, Laurence Taylor, the National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for sporting and planned events praised the drive and determination of the volunteers.

“This is an iconic event and we are incredibly proud to be playing such a key role.

“The security and engagement operation being planned by the French authorities is huge and our involvement gives us the opportunity to demonstrate the expertise and professionalism of UK policing, on an international level.

“I hope the presence of our Special Constables, who are some of the most dedicated and passionate officers we have in our ranks, will be reassuring and familiar for British visitors. I also hope their presence, working alongside their French counterparts, helps overseas visitors to feel safe, supported and welcome at the event.

“Policing events like this gives our officers the opportunity to learn from international colleagues and hone their skills in an unrivalled environment. Taking this expertise home to their communities is hugely beneficial and I’ve no doubt the Special Constables will do us proud while acquiring a great deal of new skills in the process.”

Dame Menna Rawlings DCMG CVO, British Ambassador to France said:

“We can’t wait to welcome hundreds of thousands of UK ticket holders to Paris for a fantastic summer of sport.  Here in France, we’ve been working closely with our French partners to make sure British people travelling to the Games have everything they need to enjoy a safe visit.  

 “That includes supporting this deployment of police officers and specialist search dogs, sharing security and policing best practice with French colleagues. This draws on the UK’s extensive experience hosting previous major events, including the 2012 Olympics and the Coronation of King Charles III.

“I’m proud that the UK is supporting France to deliver a safe and secure Olympics and Paralympics, in this the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale. Let the Games begin!”

 The UK element of this operation is being coordinated by specialist officers from the National Police Coordination Centre, the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and is supported by the Home Office, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Ministry of Defence and Counter Terrorism Policing UK.

Travellers to France can find the most up to date advice from the UK Government here  

 For the most recent information and updates follow @Paris2024 on X, Instagram and Facebook.  

 For updates on travel follow @BTP, and visit Safety and security – France travel advice – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)