Police Reform in England and Wales: Producer-Driven or Consumer-Led? An Evaluation of the Current Police Reform Programme
| DOI | 10.1350/pojo.2006.79.3.200 |
| Author | Barry Loveday |
| Published date | 01 September 2006 |
| Date | 01 September 2006 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
BARRY LOVEDAY
Reader in Criminal Justice Administration, Portsmouth
University
POLICE REFORM IN ENGLAND
AND WALES: PRODUCER-DRIVEN
OR CONSUMER-LED? AN
EVALUATION OF THE CURRENT
POLICE REFORM PROGRAMME*
This article considers the current status of police reform and
the many problems associated with it. It argues that the current
proposals are very largely producer-driven rather than
consumer-led and if implemented would serve to undermine
the Prime Minister’s policy commitment to both public service
reform and the encouragement of greater consumer choice.
Recent public opinion polls indicate that consumer perceptions
of police amalgamations are almost wholly negative. It is also
argued that the criteria for determination of ‘stand-alone’
forces set by the Home Office has proven to be highly arbitrary.
It argues for the need for more effective collaboration between
forces and for much closer local authority involvement in the
delivery of local police services. It highlights possible local
government reform proposals within the forthcoming White
Paper and the need to link reform of local government structures
with those of police forces. It concludes with an evaluation of
neighbourhood policing strategy and the need for joint responsi-
bility and oversight between police and local authority to both
anchor and sustain this important initiative.
Introduction
In his speech to the Police Federation at Bournemouth the new
Home Secretary was to indicate that the commitment to speedy
implementation of police reform would itself be reviewed with
an expectation that plans for mergers of police forces could be
delayed by at least a year (Cowan & Dodd, 2006). John Reid’s
Bournemouth statement was to be followed in June 2006 by a
further statement to the House of Commons that forced mergers
of police forces would not be set in motion before the summer
recess, effectively delaying any implementation until the autumn
of that year (Jones, 2006). These decisions cannot be interpreted
as suggesting the effective end of the amalgamation programme.
They do serve, however, to provide an opportunity for further
200 The Police Journal, Volume 79 (2006)
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