The Government has announced that Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) will be abolished, saving the taxpayer at least £100 million and helping to fund frontline officers to cut crime through AI.
Other key measures already announced by the government include proposals for a new National Centre of Policing, which will make the best use of taxpayer money by bringing together crucial support services such as IT and forensics, and a police performance unit to drive up standards.
The move comes as part of a major series of reforms to policing to raise national standards within the police, strengthen performance management and end the postcode lottery in crime outcome.
The upcoming Police Reform White Paper will set out further powers to improve standards, including investment in AI and cyber skills.
The government has stated that removing PCCs will cut the cost of unnecessary bureaucracy, money that can be better spent on restoring neighbourhood policing.
Since 2012, PCCs have been elected to hold forces to account, but turnout at the polls and public knowledge of who their local PCC is has been incredibly low.
Public understanding of, and engagement with, PCCs remains low despite efforts to raise their profile. Two in five people are unaware PCCs even exist.
Graeme Stewart, head of public sector at Check Point Software said: “This is a bold move by a government fully aware that the nature of policing has fundamentally changed since the creation of these positions twelve years ago. The rise of AI, sophisticated cyber attacks, challenges around online safety as well as policing standards means that accountability now seldom sits with one individual, and the public knows it.
“These savings can now be ploughed into front-line policing and digital transformation, equipping officers with the skills they need to meet the challenges of tomorrow.”
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Their roles will be absorbed by regional mayors wherever possible, meaning measures to cut crime will be considered as part of wider public services such as education.
The transition to the new model will happen at the end of the next electoral cycle in 2028.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “The introduction of police and crime commissioners by the last government was a failed experiment. I will introduce new reforms so police are accountable to their local mayoralties or local councils. The savings will fund more neighbourhood police on the beat across the country, fighting crime and protecting our communities.”
This ambitious reform programme will run alongside the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which has seen named and contactable officers for every community, guaranteed police patrols in busy areas at peak times and will put 3,000 neighbourhood officers on our streets by spring next year.