Summary of consultation responses: policing inspection programme and framework 2025–29

Introduction

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) independently assesses and reports on the effectiveness and efficiency of police forces in the public interest.

In autumn 2024, we ran a consultation on our proposed programme for policing inspections 2025–29. The purpose of this consultation was to make sure we continue to focus our inspection work on what matters most to the public. We asked for views on whether we included the right themes and areas of policing. In particular, we requested responses to the following:

Question 1: Do the proposed thematic inspections cover the topics that are currently of most concern to you? Which do you believe are the most important or urgent?

Question 2: Do you agree with the proposed changes to the PEEL [police efficiency, effectiveness and legitimacy] assessment framework?

Question 3: Are there any significant new or emerging problems in policing that we should consider when we inspect individual police forces?

Overview of respondents

On 25 October 2024, the consultation period ended. We received 61 responses:

• 28 from police forces;
• 11 from police and crime commissioners;
• 16 from other organisations;
• 5 from members of the public; and
• a response from the Home Secretary on behalf of the Home Office.

Summary of responses

We are grateful for all the responses to the consultation. Throughout this process, our objective has been to make sure that we continue to focus our inspection work on what matters most to the public. While we outlined our proposed framework of inspection activity in the consultation, we were open to considering other priorities and ways of working.

The vast majority of respondents agreed with our proposed thematic inspections. Most respondents also felt that these inspections cover the areas of most concern and what they consider the most urgent issues. In finalising our programme, we have considered respondents’ views on priorities while balancing our expected capacity.

Respondents generally agreed with the proposed changes to our PEEL assessment framework for 2025–27.

Before this consultation, we had broadly considered the emerging issues that respondents then raised in their feedback. But, where possible, we will further consider how we can design our inspections to address their concerns.

Question 1: Do the proposed thematic inspections cover the topics that are currently of most concern to you? Which do you believe are the most important or urgent?

The majority of respondents agreed that the proposed thematic inspections cover the topics that are of most concern.

Although some of the responses were neutral, no respondent indicated they were opposed to our proposed programme.

We also asked respondents which of the proposed thematic inspections they believed were of the greatest importance or urgency. The themes most mentioned were:

• science and technology (including topics such as AI);
• police leadership;
• cybersecurity;
• the police response to knife-related crime;
• firearms licensing;
• the efficiency and effectiveness of current arrangements that provide local, regional and national policing services, including arrangements to meet the Strategic Policing Requirement;
• counter-terrorism;
• Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles; and
• data and analytics.

Question 2: Do you agree with the proposed changes to the PEEL assessment framework?

Respondents generally agreed with the proposed changes set out in our draft PEEL assessment framework for 2025–27 inspections. This included agreeing with the new questions, adding the graded elements of safeguarding and fraud, and incorporating custody within PEEL.

But a small number of respondents mentioned:

• PEEL should have an even stronger focus on neighbourhood policing, which includes considering whether it should be a graded element;
• there should be a stronger focus on the financial challenges that forces face; and
• concerns about crime data integrity being removed as a single graded area.

Question 3: Are there any significant new or emerging problems in policing that we should consider when we inspect individual police forces?

The majority of respondents agreed that the proposed thematic inspections in question 1 covered current, significant issues in policing.

But some respondents thought we should also consider the following areas of concern:

• retail crime and shoplifting;
• the “outdated” police allocation formula (how money is allocated to forces);
• the Police Race Action Plan;
• low public trust and confidence in policing; and
• violence against women and girls.

When planning our inspections, we will continue to consider:

• any statutory requirements;
• the level of perceived risk to the public;
• stakeholder interest; and
• the overall coherence of our programme.

The timing of our inspections also depends on our funding and capacity.

We will continue to review our policing inspection programme and framework and we will publish a midpoint review of our progress against the programme. In this review, we will also outline our plans for the remaining years of the inspection programme, which will include any new commissions.

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Summary of consultation responses: policing inspection programme and framework 2025–29