SPECIAL FEATURE
that would be the creation of a new National Police Service, coined by the media as the ‘British FBI’, responsible for national capabilities and functions. That body would subsume the National Crime Agency and take on areas such as counterterrorism, the National Police Air Service (NPAS) and serious organised crime. The white paper also proposes a national licence to practise for all warranted officers.
The white paper’s emphasis on welfare is welcome. Measures to support officers’ mental health and wellbeing will be well received. The PFEW has for a long time highlighted the lack of sufficient support for officers during investigations and that
“The PFEW has argued that the
Government cannot lecture officers about standards while denying them the support needed to meet those standards.”
Under this model, officers would need to demonstrate on an ongoing basis that they meet national standards of skills, knowledge and professionalism to retain their licence to serve in the police service. That would involve regular training and assessment, with the possibility that officers who fail to meet the standard could be prevented from serving. Other proposals include the reintroduction of direct entry at Inspector and Superintendent level for certain specialist roles, and the introduction of national performance targets, including response time measures. On welfare, the white paper contains some welcome commitments: a national mental health crisis line, expanded psychological support and a mandatory welfare standard for officers under investigation, a measure the PFEW has long campaigned for.
WHERE THE FEDERATION STANDS “First and foremost, we know policing in England and Wales is broken and in need of major reform,” said PFEW National Chair Tiff Lynch. “Doing nothing isn’t an option because demand is relentless, inconsistencies in how 43 forces interpret policy directly impact our members and, bluntly, too many police officers have, to use our campaign’s terminology, Copped Enough.” The PFEW accepts there is a case
for examining the structure of policing, particularly if reform can repair unfair differences between forces and close gaps in capability. But any change must be about raising standards, not driving them down in the name of savings. Clearer national arrangements for
national functions could be beneficial; provided roles, responsibilities and lines of accountability are absolutely clear. “Policing cannot afford gaps, overlaps or confusion at a time when public confidence is fragile,” Tiff added.
a national wellbeing standard is overdue. As Tiff puts it: “I am pleased the white paper does include measures to improve wellbeing but I want to make sure those commitments are backed by real funding and enforced consistently. A Police Covenant that exists only on paper will not deliver change on the ground.”
WHERE THE PFEW IS CONCERNED The PFEW has serious reservations about the proposed licence to practise. Police officers are already among the most regulated and scrutinised professionals in the country. The problem is not a lack of professionalism; it is a lack of time, training, staff and resources. Officers are routinely pulled off training to plug gaps, carry unsafe workloads and work cancelled rest days to keep the service running. The PFEW has argued that the Government cannot lecture officers about standards while denying them the support needed to meet those standards. A licence to practise risks placing the burden of systemic failure squarely on individual officers, rather than on those who control funding, staffing and training.
The PFEW is also deeply concerned that largescale structural reform could consume vast amounts of time, money and leadership focus, while the daytoday pressures of policing continue unchecked. Officers are already dealing with rising violence, repeated trauma exposure, assaults and burnout. Reform that distracts from these realities risks making things worse, not better.
THE PFEW’S FIVE TESTS FOR POLICE REFORM The PFEW has announced that it will engage constructively with the Home Office throughout the reform process. The PFEW will judge every proposal against five clear tests:
• Strengthen frontline policing and improve public safety.
• Raise standards consistently, not create a race to the bottom on cost.
genuine wellbeing protection.
• Update outdated rules so they reflect the reality
• Be properly funded and realistic, not based on
of modern policing.
paper savings that never materialise.
If reform meets those tests, the PFEW will support it. If it does not, the PFEW will challenge it; clearly, publicly and in the interests of its members and the communities they serve. Police reform will shape the police
service for a generation. The PFEW’s view is clear –officers are not resistant to change, but they are rightly sceptical of reform that promises a lot, delivers little and leaves them to carry the consequences.
This is the moment to get it right. The PFEW has said it will ensure the voice of the frontline is heard at every stage.
MUKUND KRISHNA, PFEW CEO, SAID:
“Robust governance is the backbone of any meaningful reform. Clear accountability, transparent decision-making and independent oversight ensure changes translate into safer communities and supported officers.
“
“Reform without governance risks creating confusion and inconsistency; national standards must be matched by enforceable processes, adequate resourcing and measurable delivery plans.
“We welcome ambition, but success will depend on governance that protects frontline capacity, embeds welfare commitments and holds leaders to account for outcomes, not just promises.”
05 | POLICE | FEBRUARY | 2026
• Properly support officers with fair pay, safe workloads, decent training and
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