Police told to ‘refocus on catching criminals’ after discovering that is actually their job

Britain’s policing system has been rocked by a damning Government-backed review calling for an urgent “ethical reset”, warning that forces must abandon political and cultural distractions and return to their core mission: catching criminals.

The wide-ranging assessment, commissioned by the College of Policing with backing from the Home Office, delivers one of the starkest critiques of British policing in recent years — highlighting leadership failures, allegations of cronyism, and what it describes as growing drift towards activism inside senior ranks.

At the heart of the report is a blunt warning: senior officers must remain “resolute” in refusing to take sides in political or cultural debates, and instead focus on “the prevention, detection and prosecution of crime”.

The findings are likely to intensify the already heated debate over so-called “two-tier policing”, amid accusations that forces have, at times, appeared to apply inconsistent standards depending on the background of suspects or victims.

The review states clearly that policing must operate “without fear or favour”, adding that “the background or identity of any perpetrator or victim of crime should have absolutely no bearing on the quality of treatment or respect which is given”.

It also criticises what it calls a broader drift towards “preferencing certain groups”, warning that such approaches risk undermining public confidence in law enforcement.

The report was co-authored by former Labour Home Secretary David Blunkett and former Conservative policing minister Chris Herbert, giving the findings unusual cross-party weight at a time of deep political sensitivity over policing standards.

Lord Blunkett warned there was “no room for culture wars or woke causes” in policing, arguing that officers have been increasingly drawn into politically charged territory since controversies such as officers taking the knee during the pandemic.

He said policing must remain focused on delivery, not activism, adding that officers should not be diverted into ideological debates.

The review also raises serious concerns about leadership across forces in England and Wales, concluding that no police force has been rated “outstanding” for leadership by inspectors in recent years.

Since 2018, there have been dozens of investigations into alleged misconduct involving senior officers, including accusations ranging from nepotism and cronyism to corruption and abuse of power.

At present, multiple chief officers are reportedly under investigation or facing disciplinary proceedings — a statistic the report says reflects systemic weakness at the top of policing.

Confidence among rank-and-file officers is also described as alarmingly low. Just 13 per cent of constables and 17 per cent of sergeants said they worked in a “well-led and managed organisation”, according to the findings.

The report warns that promotion systems have become “subjective, inconsistent and shaped in the image of leaders”, creating what it describes as “fertile ground” for favouritism and internal mistrust.

A senior officer from Greater Manchester Police, Sir Stephen Watson, has previously warned that policing has “adopted the language of activism” and that some guidance has “over-corrected” in response to concerns about discrimination.

The review says this shift has risked undermining the principle of policing by consent — long seen as the foundation of British law enforcement — which depends on officers acting “without fear or favour”.

Among its most significant recommendations is the creation of a Sandhurst-style national policing academy for senior officers, alongside mandatory accredited training for recruits and a new senior constable rank designed to recognise experienced frontline officers.

Policing Minister Sarah Jones acknowledged the scale of the challenge, warning that leadership structures are currently failing to deliver consistent standards across forces.

She said officers deserve high-quality training and development throughout their careers, but admitted that this is not currently being achieved across the system.

The report concludes with a stark message: without urgent reform, Britain’s policing model risks further erosion of confidence at both public and frontline level.

For ministers, the challenge now is whether this “ethical reset” becomes a genuine overhaul — or simply another review added to a growing list of warnings about a system under strain.