Find a news story

or

JOIN US Help us turn Britain around

Join today

Keep up to date
Get the latest Conservative news sent straight to you

News story

Getting police back on the streets

Monday, May 9 2011

Theresa May

Theresa May has unveiled a new package of policies that will cut police red tape, saving 2.5 million man hours of time - the equivalent of 1200 police officer posts.

The Government have already scrapped the stop and account form and shortened the stop and search reporting requirements, saving up to 800,000 man hours per year, and restored police discretion over some charging decisions, saving a further 50,000 hours per year.

The new measures include:

  • Piloting extended police discretion over charging decisions
  • Reviewing police performance development
  • Better risk management: changing call-handling, using discretion to prioritise urgent cases and moving away from tick box rules
  • Reduced bureaucracy around domestic violence cases
  • Reduce crime recording categories
  • Postal charging: for appropriate minor cases where charged suspects are on bail, written charges will be sent by post, ordering them to court in writing
  • Reduced ACPO guidance: Sara Thornton's review of doctrine and guidance, complete next March, will reduce more than 600 pieces of guidance to fewer than 100.

In her speech, the Home Secretary said:

"We're keeping our promise to the police to get the government out of the way of policing, and we're keeping our promise to the public to put them back in charge."

And she added, "I want to see police officers with the discretion to do what they think is right; free from the interference of Whitehall, free to do their job, free to fight crime."

Read Theresa's speech in full.

Click here to sign up to our email bulletins.