The Policing Pledge
Encyclopedia
The Policing Pledge was a United Kingdom
- Home Office
initiative to restore public faith back within the territorial police forces of the UK. The pledge was a set of ten promise
s from the police about the services that they provide. All 43 police forces within England
and Wales
have agreed to keep these promises. The Policing Pledge was introduced by the Home Secretary
in July 2008 with the publishing of the Green Paper
"From the neighbourhood to the national: policing our communities together”. The Policing Pledge officially came into force on the 31st December 2008.
On 29 June 2010 the Home Secretary Theresa May
announced that the Policing Pledge had been scrapped by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition as a result of the emergency budget
to reduce the public deficit. This will allow the police to focus more on law enforcement and less on trying to meet targets.
and Wales
Additionally annual reviews of local policing by the Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary
, HMIC have indicated a significant number of police forces are not meeting the promises of The Policing Pledge neither are they doing enough to continue to meet the promises.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
- Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
initiative to restore public faith back within the territorial police forces of the UK. The pledge was a set of ten promise
Promise
A promise is a commitment by someone to do or not do something.In the law of contract, an exchange of promises is usually held to be legally enforceable, according to the Latin maxim pacta sunt servanda.- Types :...
s from the police about the services that they provide. All 43 police forces within England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
have agreed to keep these promises. The Policing Pledge was introduced by the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
in July 2008 with the publishing of the Green Paper
Green paper
In the Commonwealth, the Republic of Ireland and the United States a green paper is a tentative government report of a proposal without any commitment to action; the first step in changing the law...
"From the neighbourhood to the national: policing our communities together”. The Policing Pledge officially came into force on the 31st December 2008.
On 29 June 2010 the Home Secretary Theresa May
Theresa May
Theresa Mary May is a British Conservative politician who is Home Secretary in the Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition government. She was elected to Parliament in 1997 as the Member of Parliament for Maidenhead, and served as the Chairman of the Conservative Party, 2003–04...
announced that the Policing Pledge had been scrapped by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition as a result of the emergency budget
June 2010 United Kingdom Budget
The June 2010 United Kingdom Budget, officially known as 2010 Budget - Responsibility, freedom, fairness: a five year plan to re-build the economy, was delivered by George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, to the House of Commons in his budget speech that commenced at about 12.30 p.m on Tuesday...
to reduce the public deficit. This will allow the police to focus more on law enforcement and less on trying to meet targets.
Policing Pledge
The following form part of the ten promises agreed by police forces within EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
- Always treat you fairly with dignity and respect ensuring you have fair access to our services at a time that is reasonable and suitable for you.
- Provide you with information so you know who your dedicated Neighbourhood Policing Team is, where they are based, how to contact them and how to work with them.
- Ensure your Neighbourhood Policing Team and other police patrols are visible and on your patch at times when they will be most effective and when you tell us you most need them. We will ensure your team are not taken away from neighbourhood business more than is absolutely necessary. They will spend at least 80% of their time visibly working in your neighbourhood, tackling your priorities. Staff turnover will be minimised.
- Respond to every message directed to your Neighbourhood Policing Team within 24 hours and, where necessary, provide a more detailed response as soon as we can.
- Aim to answer 999 calls within 10 seconds, deploying to emergencies immediately giving an estimated time of arrival, getting to you safely, and as quickly as possible. In urban areas, we will aim to get to you within 15 minutes and in rural areas within 20 minutes.
- Answer all non-emergency calls promptly. If attendance is needed, send a patrol giving you an estimated time of arrival, and:
- If you are vulnerable or upset aim to be with you within 60 minutes.
- If you are calling about an issue that we have agreed with your community will be a neighbourhood priority (listed opposite) and attendance is required, we will aim to be with you within 60 minutes.
- Alternatively, if appropriate, we will make an appointment to see you at a time that fits in with your life and within 48 hours.
- If agreed that attendance is not necessary we will give you advice, answer your questions and/or put you in touch with someone who can help.
- Arrange regular public meetings to agree your priorities, at least once a month, giving you a chance to meet your local team with other members of your community. These will include opportunities such as surgeries, street briefings and mobile police station visits which will be arranged to meet local needs and requirements. Your local arrangements can be found opposite.
- Provide monthly updates on progress, and on local crime and policing issues. This will include the provision of crime maps, information on specific crimes and what happened to those brought to justice, details of what action we and our partners are taking to make your neighbourhood safer and information on how your force is performing.
- If you have been a victim of crime agree with you how often you would like to be kept informed of progress in your case and for how long. You have the right to be kept informed at least every month if you wish and for as long as is reasonable.
- Acknowledge any dissatisfaction with the service you have received within 24 hours of reporting it to us. To help us fully resolve the matter, discuss with you how it will be handled, give you an opportunity to talk in person to someone about your concerns and agree with you what will be done about them and how quickly.
Public Criticism
The UK government came under fire from many leading media organisations within the country after it was revealed that the advertising campaign to educate the public about The Policing Pledge cost the tax payer £3.5 million in the form of posters, newspaper spreads, leaflets, website production and the addition of two thirty second television adverts which were set to air during mainstream viewing on the ITN Network.Additionally annual reviews of local policing by the Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland in the United Kingdom have statutory responsibility for the inspection of police forces.-England and Wales:...
, HMIC have indicated a significant number of police forces are not meeting the promises of The Policing Pledge neither are they doing enough to continue to meet the promises.