Category: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

Members of the police service recognised in the King’s birthday honours list.

Members of the police service have had their commitment to public service recognised in the King’s birthday honours list.

Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, Gavin Stephens, said:

“I am so proud to see many of our policing family recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours list and would like to share my whole-hearted congratulations every single one.

“To receive recognition in this way is a brilliant achievement and it demonstrates the passion, professionalism and commitment they have to policing and the communities they serve.

“These individuals reflect the very best of policing and I am delighted their achievements have been acknowledged so positively today.”

The awards were for a range of reasons including, collaborative work with the CPS to improve high risk charging, leading the delivery of large scale national events and implementing effective measures to reduce bureaucracy and maintaining victim based focus and driving best practice across policing.

Knighthood
Andrew Marsh, Chief Executive, College of Policing  

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Mr Craig BATHAM, Special Chief Officer, South Yorkshire Police 

King’s Police Medal (KPM)
Christopher John Rowley Lately, Chief Constable, Lancashire Constabulary,
Helen Ramsay Millichap, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Metropolitan Police Service,
Nicholas Dean Chief Constable, Cambridgeshire Constabulary
Richard DebickI Lately, Deputy Chief Constable, North Wales Police
Mark Alan Webster, Chief Constable, Cleveland Police
Stephen Ellen, Deputy Chief Constable, Sovereign Base Area Police – Cyprus
Catriona Paton, Assistant Chief Constable, Police Scotland
Alistair Cameron, Special Constable, Police Scotland

Sceptre week of action showcases partnership working to tackle knife crime

Policing’s national week of action (13-19 May 2024), Sceptre, has shown positive results and progress in the ever-changing and growing fight against knife crime with forces across England and Wales undertaking a range of activities in local communities.

13,929 knives (12,106 in November 2023 Sceptre) have been seized through enforcement action and surrender bins, while 3,128 visits to engage with young people and their parents have been undertaken.

Commander Stephen Clayman is National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for knife crime. He said:

“We are clear that there is no one solution to tackling knife crime – there never has been nor will there be and in policing we must undertake the activities that add the most value and make the most difference.

“We rightly lead on enforcement and as always during Sceptre week we have a focus on knife seizures and arrests, but we also add significant value in our role working with communities and supporting partners.

“Knife crime is an incredibly complex problem where many of those who carry knives often find themselves being both the victim and the perpetrator. Evidence shows knives are often carried for protection so we need to understand what the drivers for this are and how we can help make people and communities safer.

“Limiting supply and accessibility to knives is a key aspect of our national work and on Friday (17 May 2024) we hosted a meeting with knife crime retailers and specialists to discuss potential approaches to tackling the supply of certain types of knives. Possible solutions included improving age verification at point of sale and delivery, alongside looking at what a registration or voluntary code of practice could look like. I was greatly encouraged by the support of the retailers in attendance and the appetite for change.

“Sceptre has seen so much fantastic work from police forces across England and Wales, undertaking enforcement action and engagement activity, which combined with our national workstream activity, demonstrates positive momentum building in our fight against knife crime. It is truly a team effort.”

Victims and Survivors at the heart of Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce as Home Secretary marks 12 months of ground-breaking work.

A year since the Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Taskforce was launched by the Prime Minister, yesterday (Monday 20 May), Home Secretary, James Cleverley MP marked the occasion by hearing first-hand how policing is working at a local and national level to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation and prevent harm.  

Mr Cleverly met representatives from local and national third sector organisations who work alongside forces to ensure a joined-up approach when supporting some of the community’s most vulnerable victims. He then joined student officers at a bespoke CSE awareness training session before meeting with senior investigating officers who head up some of the most complex CSE investigations in the country.

Ian Critchley QPM, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for child protection and abuse investigations, said:

“Since the Taskforce was launched, significant strides have been made to enhance the policing response to CSE investigation as well as co-ordinate best practice and guidance to further protect victims and disrupt perpetrators, through working closely with forces such as Essex.

“Sadly, we know that CSE in many forms is still prevalent in our communities. The way we listen to, and support victims and survivors of these most abhorrent crimes is key to building on and maintaining the progress we have already made through the work of the CSE Taskforce and dedicated force teams. I hope this assures victims that when they take what is often a difficult decision to report to police, that they will be treated with empathy and respect and with the utmost professionalism. We are committed and dedicated to bringing more offenders to justice of these appalling crimes, wherever and whenever they have been committed and the taskforce are supporting force operations across the country. 

“While it is important to acknowledge how far we have come particularly in the last 12-months, it is essential we continue to learn and make changes to help inform and influence all our work, in particular working alongside children’s services and valued third sector partners in encompassing the voice of victims and survivors in all we do.

“We are not standing still. It is incumbent on us all in society and different communities to prevent these offences that have a lifelong impact on victims. We remain dedicated to ensuring we identify, protect and support victims and are committed to the relentless pursuit of offenders to bring them to justice.”  

Chief Executive for the National Association of People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), Gabrielle Shaw, said:

“NAPAC’s dynamic partnership with the CSE Taskforce highlights the transformative power of collaboration between national policing and third-sector organisations. Throughout the past year, NAPAC has co-led the victims and survivors’ engagement thematic area of the Taskforce’s work, ensuring that survivor voices are not just heard, but integrated into the evolution of policing approaches.

“The synergy between NAPAC’s research into survivors’ encounters with justice and the deep dive reports produced this year on the voice of the victim has been instrumental in reshaping outcomes for abuse survivors and fortifying safeguarding measures. By nurturing proactive, survivor-centric alliances like the one forged with the CSE Taskforce, we pave the way for systemic shifts that will significantly enhance support structures for survivors.”

For #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek we’re celebrating the work of Humberside Police. 

The force is breaking down barriers and tackling the stigma around poor mental health.  

A passionate team of psychotherapists are working hard to challenge traditional views and have been embedding themselves into teams and department across Humberside Police, to better understand what their colleagues might be going through.

Senior Psychotherapist and Clinical Lead for mental health, Louise Robinson has been instrumental in driving forward a culture in which all ranks and roles feel free to talk openly about any mental health struggles or concerns they may be having.

The former public health nurse retrained as a psychotherapist after becoming particularly interested in the effects of exposure to violence on mental and physical health outcomes.  She began working with the force as an external psychotherapist in 2016, offering trauma therapy for staff and officers, and by 2020 she had officially joined as a police staff member tasked with recruiting a new team to expand the services on offer.  

Louise said: “Working with police is an incredible opportunity, but it can also be complex because they naturally want to help people and put others first. These are traits which make excellent officers and staff, but for so many people across the emergency services, taking care of others can get in the way of self-care, and this can have profound affects on mental and physical health.

“Many people working in policing develop a strong defensive exterior because showing vulnerability has historically been seen as a weakness and a barrier to performing their jobs.  I understand the reason for this completely, however, my team and I are actively promoting the cultural message that there is immense strength and courage in acknowledging vulnerability and our service is set up to support and disseminate this message.

“My role is partly clinical which means working with staff and officers in the therapy room on challenges such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety, depression and current or historical trauma. This is the reason I became a therapist, and I am passionate about it. An additional and extremely important element of my role involves working closely with the talented therapists within my team to promote improvements and cultural changes within the police service and thus drive the mental health agenda forward. Much of this area of development has included gaining trust and developing a rapport and understanding with police officers and staff and increasing our understanding of the different roles within policing.

One of Louise’s first big projects was creating a short film called ‘Strength in Being Blue.

The video features six officers and staff from Humberside Police, who showed immense courage by sharing intimate details of their own mental health journeys and was launched at the force’s mental health conference in 2023.

One of those who took part was Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Gawthorpe, now head of Humberside’s crime department.

At the time the video was shot, the 43-year-old was working in the force’s state-of-the-art control room, leading a department of around 400 staff, but struggling with anxiety and finding decision making more and more difficult as a result.

Det Ch Supt Gawthorpe said: “There was no single event or catastrophic incident that caused me to feel this way, it was a slow build up over years of policing and life in general.

“I attended a yearly psychological health screening appointment and found that I was scoring highly on both the anxiety and depressions tests. In truth I had found myself severely hampered by the anxiety and feeling like I wasn’t good enough to be in the role that I was in. Being a senior leader, I knew I had a lot of people looking at me for support and guidance and I definitely felt worried that I wasn’t able to do what I was supposed to be doing.

“I went to therapy once a week and it was a big step. I definitely had preconceptions about it, but I changed my mind quickly. There shouldn’t be a stigma around this support. If I was assaulted on duty or injured my knee I’d go and see a doctor. It’s no different.

“As an officer, every day we see logs and reports and deal with the worst things which can happen to people – we’re all human and it’s only natural that over time this will have an impact. We’re not immune.

“There is no shame in accessing support and no shame in talking. As a leader, I advise all my staff of the support that is available and I’m a big advocate. I’m really proud to say that several of my colleagues have heard my story and accessed support themselves. Talking to someone can be a friend, a manager, it doesn’t need to be a therapist, just as long as we share.”

You can watch the video here Strength in Being Blue | HUMBERSIDE POLICE – YouTube

You can access a number of support tools and advice here: The National Police Wellbeing Service | Oscar Kilo

Policing in England and Wales have more than doubled a Government target for the number of officers given rape investigative training.

The target to train 2,000 officers by the end of April has been exceeded with a total of 4,540 having now completed the specialist course, known as the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Investigative Skills Development Programme (RISDP).

The College of Policing training was developed by working with leading academics with the aim of  training first responders so that victims receive the right support from their first contact with the police.

The work has been undertaken in collaboration with Operation Soteria, a Home Office funded unit which brings together police forces with academics and policy experts to use evidence and new insight to transform the policing response to rape and serious sexual offences.

Since Operation Soteria began, progress has been made across policing and the wider criminal justice system:

• Arrest rates are up by a quarter: Police are arresting more sexual offenders, with arrests in 2022/23 rising by 25% compared to 2019/20.
• More cases are being referred to prosecutors: Police are referring more adult rape cases to the Crown Prosecution Service, with 1,429 referrals in October to December 2023, up 142% from 590 in October to December 2020.
• More suspects are being charged: Charges for sexual offences in the year to December 2023 were up by 18% compared with the previous year, and adult rape charges increased by more than a third (38%) in the same period.

The pioneering programme developed by academics and Avon and Somerset Police has transformed policing’s approach to investigating rape and sexual offences. It sees police and prosecutors working more closely together throughout the process and helps ensure investigations are focussed on the actions of the alleged perpetrator, not the victim.  

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Rape and Adult Sexual Offences, and the joint Senior Responsible Officer for Operation Soteria, Chief Constable Sarah Crew, said:

“Rape is one of the most complex and challenging crimes we deal with in the criminal justice system, and it’s vitally important that as a police service we get our response right from the moment it is reported.

“Specially trained investigators are pivotal to achieving what we have set out to do through Operation Soteria: build strong cases, relentlessly pursue perpetrators and do better for victims.

“The data, and the introduction of thousands of specialist investigators, is an encouraging step on our journey to improve the criminal justice system for victims of rape.”

Assistant Chief Constable Tom Harding, Director at the College of Policing, said:

“Our aim was to provide training to rapidly up-skill officers and staff who investigate rape and serious sexual assault cases.

We have more than doubled the initial target of training 2,000 investigators and it is testament to the drive within police forces to tackle these horrendous crimes.

As of today we know there are 4,540 officers and staff who are now specially trained due to the efforts of police forces, the College and Home Office. There is much more to be done and our focus remains fixed on bringing perpetrators and protecting victims, mostly women, from harm.”

The inaugural Police Digital Awards 2024 has been launched to recognise outstanding contributions by police staff and teams across UK law enforcement agencies.

Eight distinct categories will celebrate achievements in various areas:

• Innovation Award: Recognises individuals or teams using innovative approaches to tackle police challenges.
• Cyber Security Award: Honours individuals or teams going above and beyond to safeguard police systems and data.
• Front Line Impact Award: Celebrates the use of digital data and technology to directly enhance services delivered by frontline officers and police staff.
• Productivity/Value for Money Award: Acknowledges teams or individuals who demonstrably reduced costs while improving service quality or capabilities.
• Accessibility Award: Recognises initiatives or technology implementations that improve accessibility, equity, or diversity within police workplaces.
• Unsung Digital Hero: Individuals who work for policing in an ICT or transformation role make significant contributions but often go unnoticed or underappreciated.
• Excellence in Leadership: Recognises individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities, significantly contributing to their organisation values and missive whilst inspiring others.
• Excellence in Service: Recognises teams or individuals who excel at delivering exceptional service in police digital or technology settings.

Nominations are open until 31st May. Judging will take place in June and July, culminating in an awards ceremony at the Police Digital Summit on 12th September. Only UK based law enforcement agencies or Police Digital Service (PDS) member organisations and their teams are eligible to submit nominations. Those wishing to submit a nomination should visit this page.

The Police Digital Awards will be judged by representatives from the Police Digital Service, National Police Chiefs’ Council Digital, Data and Technology Coordination Committee, and techUK (representing the supplier community).

Chief Constable Rob Carden, Chair of the Digital, Data and Technology Coordination Committee said: “We are thrilled to launch the Police Digital Awards 2024.  These awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the incredible work being done by police technology teams across the country.  Their dedication and innovation are essential in ensuring police forces have the tools they need to keep communities safe and secure.”

Ian Bell, CEO of PDS added: “The Police Digital Awards are a great way to recognise the individuals and teams making a real difference on the ground. These awards will not only celebrate innovation but also inspire forces to be more innovative with police technology.  I can’t wait to see the innovation on display from the nominees.”

The Police Digital Service encourages PDS member organisations to nominate their deserving teams and individuals for the Police Digital Awards 2024. This programme celebrates the remarkable advancements made in police technology and the dedicated professionals driving them forward.

The award winners and nominees will be celebrated at the Police Digital Summit 2024. The event is shaping up to be the biggest and most impactful summit yet, bringing together the UK’s leading figures in law enforcement, technology, and data on September 11th-13th in Brighton. More information on how to attend is available here.

The new NPCC Police Dog Standard sits alongside the College of Policing’s new Authorised Professional Practice, streamlining the previous guidance and mandating minimum standards.

This new guidance sets out how dog units should carry out the day-to-day functions of their unit including, but not limited to: training; welfare; deployment; staffing; health and safety; procurement and retirement; and record keeping. It sets out the police’s use of police dogs in a wider context to general policing activity.

The new APP from the College of Policing has also been published today. It supports the introduction of new professional role profiles for police dog handlers and trainers, and provides direction to relevant operational guidance and legislation. It will form the basis for the development of a new College of Policing curriculum for police dog handlers and trainers for specialist dog capability

NPCC’s new guidance has been informed by the latest research across the care and use of service animals, as well as the feedback received after police chiefs launched a public consultation in November 2023.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Police Dogs, Assistant Commissioner Pippa Mills said:

“I’m really proud to have been the NPCC lead for Police Dogs since 2020 and to have recently launched the first Police Dog Authorised Professional Practice (APP) in partnership with the College of Policing.

“The new NPCC Police Dog Standard sits alongside the APP, streamlining the previous guidance and mandating minimum standards. Bringing the recognition of the speciality that is our Police Dog capability, these standards bring the specialism in line with other similar areas in policing.

“I’m pleased the standards rightly place a significant emphasis on the welfare and care of police dogs, highlighting the necessity to recognise their individual needs as sentient beings. They dedicate a lifetime of service, working alongside police officers and staff to keeping our communities safe.

“These standards will be subject to regular review through the National Police Dog Policy Sub-Group, ensuring policy, training, accreditation and emerging threats are incorporated and remain current.

Guidance

His Royal Highness was the guest of honour at the official opening of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s new offices at 50 Broadway, Westminster.

The Duke of Gloucester was welcomed by NPCC Chair Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, and Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams of the National Police Coordination Centre (NPoCC). We were also grateful to have in attendance the Rt Hon Chris Philp MP, Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire.

During the visit, His Royal Highness toured the building, learning more about our history and the major opportunities and challenges that NPCC and NPoCC face. The Duke also met with officers and staff, learning about the vital work undertaken to bring UK police leaders together to set direction in policing and drive progress for the public.

Following the tour, His Royal Highness unveiled a plaque to commemorate the opening of the new offices at 50 Broadway.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Chair Chief Constable Gavin Stephens said:

“It was real privilege for us to welcome His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester at the official opening of our new offices in Westminster yesterday. I’d also like to thank the Policing Minister, the Rt Hon Chris Philip, for attending the event and taking the time to speak.

“The new premises will provide a space for vital collaborative work to be undertaken by the difference NPCC and NPoCC teams, to the benefit of communities across the country.

“When a police officer starts their career, they take an oath to serve the Monarch in the office of constable. Our connection to the Crown underpins our values and history. We are extremely grateful to the His Royal Highness for taking the time to visit our new office, and to be the one to officially open it.”

Law enforcement is coming together in a spectacular show of unity to support the Paris 2024 security operation

With just 100 days until the start of the 2024 Games, police and partners, including the Ministry of Defence, have today (Wednesday) confirmed they will be in attendance at one of the world’s largest sporting events. 

Officers from forces across the UK and Crown Dependencies will be deployed to support the French security and engagement operation during the eight-week event.

The announcement of support comes as the UK and France celebrated the 120^th anniversary of their historic Entente Cordiale agreement earlier this month, marking more than a century of the Franco-British friendship.   

In the UK, almost half a million tickets have been snapped up so far and scores of Brits are expected to cross the channel.

The UK element of this operation is coordinated by specialist officers from the National Police Coordination Centre and is supported by the Home Office, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Ministry of Defence, Counter Terrorism Policing UK and a range of other partners.  

At home, police forces will also be working with local partners to help support Olympic and Paralympic events and fan zones at a range of locations.

The UK’s offer of support to France is the latest in a long-standing policing and security relationship, with policing bodies between the two countries regularly sharing intelligence and learning across a range of security and public safety matters.

UK policing has also shared the expertise it gained from hosting major security and sporting events, such as the London Olympics and Birmingham Commonwealth Games, as well as more routine deployments to international and European football matches.

Around 35,000 police and gendarmes are expected to be mobilised each day during the games, with a peak of 45,000 expected for the opening ceremony. The exact number of UK officers are still to be confirmed and the deployment will also include volunteer special constables.

The UK officers will help French law enforcement with a range of liaison and engagement roles, as well as specialist search dogs and their handlers assisting with venue security. Their involvement will enhance the security and safety of UK visitors, and the Games as a whole.

Leading the UK policing response is Temporary Assistant Commissioner, Laurence Taylor the National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for sporting and planned events. 

He said: “The Paris Olympics is shaping up to be an incredible event and I am delighted officers from across the UK can play a key role in helping to make it a success.  

“An event of this size and scale requires an enormous French policing operation and we are proud to offer our assistance. It gives us the chance to demonstrate the value we bring to the security and safety of the Games and also show the expertise of UK policing on an international stage. I know the benefits of this international policing approach will be something our communities can benefit from for years to come.  

“This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for our officers and staff, who can hone their skills, learn from international colleagues and ultimately play a key role in keeping the public safe at an iconic sporting event.” 

He added: “I hope our presence will be reassuring and familiar for the droves of UK citizens travelling to France.”

Home Secretary, James Cleverly said:

“I am pleased to offer this package of support to France for the Paris Olympics, which will build on our historic relationship.  

“After close collaboration between the UK and France at recent major sporting events, including London 2012, our offer will advance on years of security co-operation. 

“Our police officers will provide valued experience and expertise to assist in keeping this iconic event safe for everyone attending.” 

Minister of the Interior of France, Gérald Darmanin said:

“France and the United Kingdom have a long tradition of police cooperation, particularly for the organization of major events. In 2012, France provided assistance from its law enforcement agencies to secure the Olympic Games in London.

“This summer, in Paris, we’ll be delighted to be able to count on the support of our British friends for this great sporting event, which will attract many spectators from across the Channel.”

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)

Standalone offence for assault on a retail worker created. 

Today the Government has announced new action to crack down on retail crime, including a standalone criminal offence for assaulting a retail worker and enhancements to the Retail Crime Action Plan developed in partnership with policing in late 2023.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Retail Crime, Superintendent Alex Goss, said:

“Retail crime has a devastating impact on businesses and communities and we welcome the continued partnership working between policing, retailers, PCC’s and Government to tackle it.

“Since the launch of the Retail Crime Action Plan and Pegasus Partnership in late 2023, we’ve made significant progress in our policing response to shoplifting and it was encouraging to see much higher levels of confidence from retailers in policing at last week’s roundtable.

“The proposed new standalone offence for assaults on retail workers demonstrates that violence will not be tolerated and we hope it will enable swift justice for those subject to this shocking and disturbing behaviour.

“Furthermore, Opal, our national policing intelligence unit for serious and organised acquisitive crime, is this week beginning training for retailers to demonstrate how the team will work with forces, retailers, businesses and organisations to gather information that will be instrumental in identifying and tackling the organised crime groups responsible for a large proportion of retail crime. From 1 May, the newly created team will begin taking referrals which is another positive step forward in fight against retail crime.”

Earlier this year we reported on progress made under the new Retail Crime Action Plan.