UK Unveils Sweeping Police Reforms To Modernize Force

On January 26, 2026, the United Kingdom unveiled the most sweeping police reforms in over two centuries, setting the stage for a radical transformation in how law enforcement operates across England and Wales. The government’s White Paper, titled From local to national: a new model for policing, outlines an ambitious vision to modernize policing, strengthen accountability, and harness new technologies to tackle the rapidly evolving landscape of crime.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood presented the details to Parliament, declaring a bold intent to overhaul a system last fundamentally redesigned in the 1960s. According to the official government release, the reforms aim to consolidate the current patchwork of 43 police forces, which have long operated in silos, into a more coherent and efficient structure. The move is designed to address what Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, described as “the most significant change in policing in the last half a century, to get policing ready to fight crime and protect the public over the next half a century.”

Stephens did not mince words about the urgency of reform, noting, “The current policing model was designed in the 1960s. The postcode lottery of 43 police forces doing things 43 different ways, alongside a complicated mesh of regional collaborations, national agencies and funding streams, is both inefficient and ineffective.” With 90% of crimes now carrying a digital element, he stressed that the need for change is now “urgent.”

At the heart of the White Paper is the creation of a new National Police Service (NPS), a single organization that will absorb existing national bodies such as the College of Policing, the National Crime Agency (NCA), and Counter Terrorism Policing. This consolidation is expected to streamline operations and enable the pooling of technology, intelligence, and resources to combat increasingly complex and borderless crime. The NPS will be led by a newly appointed national police commissioner, who will serve as the country’s most senior police officer.

“A new nationwide police force will be established to fight the most complex and serious crimes,” the government stated. The NPS will take on responsibilities ranging from forensics—addressing a current backlog of 20,000 devices awaiting analysis—to national procurement of equipment, which is projected to save £350 million by eliminating redundant local purchases. These savings are earmarked for reinvestment into frontline policing, ensuring that local officers can focus on community safety rather than administrative burdens.

Policing leaders have welcomed the reforms’ focus on empowering neighbourhood policing. Stephens emphasized, “These reforms will free local crime fighters from admin, bureaucracy and national distractions so they can focus on protecting the communities they serve, with access to high quality regional and national services to support them when they are needed. Communities will still have their bobby on the beat – and the bobby on the beat will be better equipped to fight crime in their local area.”

Accountability and standards are also set for a significant boost. Ministers will now have the authority to intervene directly in failing police forces, including the power to sack underperforming chief constables. New statutory powers will allow His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services to issue binding directions when recommendations go unheeded. Public-facing metrics—such as 999 response times, victim satisfaction, and public trust—will be published and forces graded for transparency and comparison.

To further professionalize the force, the government will introduce a mandatory licence to practise for all police officers, a move warmly received by Chief Constable Sir Andy Marsh, CEO of the College of Policing. Marsh remarked, “A licence to practise provides officers with an even stronger defence if they follow the robust standards set for them. In no other profession would we expect those doing the job to be trained without a licence which ensures they are given the most robust training and support available.” He added that the measure “gives reassurance to the public and the service that they can be confident officers are highly trained and fit to serve.”

The licence to practise, already in use for firearms officers, will now extend to all police, ensuring consistent standards of training and support nationwide. Officers will be required to renew their licence throughout their careers, demonstrating ongoing competence in problem-solving and technological skills as criminal methods evolve. Those who fail to meet the required standard—even after additional chances—will be removed from the profession.

Safeguarding and public trust are addressed through new laws imposing mandatory vetting standards for all police forces. Officers with cautions or convictions for violence against women and girls will be excluded, and stronger requirements will be introduced to suspend those under investigation for such offences. These reforms, according to the government, are designed to “ensure those unfit for policing are kept out of the profession.”

The reforms also target response times, with new national targets requiring officers to reach the most serious incidents within 15 minutes in cities and 20 minutes in rural areas. All 999 calls are to be answered within 10 seconds—a marked improvement over the current inconsistent standards. Data on response times will be standardized and published, allowing the public to hold forces accountable.

Technology is a cornerstone of the plan, with over £140 million pledged to roll out state-of-the-art tools. The number of live facial recognition vans will increase five-fold, and new artificial intelligence (AI) systems will help identify suspects from a variety of digital footage. A new national centre, Police.AI, will coordinate the deployment of AI across all forces, potentially freeing up the equivalent of 3,000 officers by automating paperwork and administrative tasks.

Recognizing the toll police work can take, the government is expanding mental health support for officers. The Mental Health Crisis Line will be available to all staff, and high-risk roles will receive annual psychological screenings. Trauma tracking software and mandatory resilience training for recruits and supervisors are part of a broader push to support officer wellbeing.

The City of London Police Authority, a key player in the UK’s fight against economic crime, welcomed the White Paper’s recognition of its unique expertise in fraud and cybercrime. Chair Tijs Broeke and Commissioner Pete O’Doherty said, “We support the Government’s ambition for more effective policing and welcome the White Paper’s recognition of the City of London Police’s unique expertise in fraud and economic crime.” They noted that, as the National Lead Force for Fraud, the City Police “play a vital role in tackling cyber crime, protecting the UK’s economic security, keeping the Square Mile safe, and supporting the Government’s ambitions for growth and public safety.”

While the National Crime Agency is proposed to move into the new National Police Service, Broeke and O’Doherty clarified that “this does not result in any immediate change to the policing response to fraud currently led by the City Police.” The City of London, as an international financial hub, contributes £110 billion or 12% of the UK’s total tax receipts and is home to one in five financial services jobs. The City Police’s continued leadership in fraud prevention and prosecution is seen as vital to the UK’s economic security.

The City Corporation is also investing heavily in the future of policing, with a £600 million, taxpayer-free investment in the Salisbury Square development, set to open in 2027. The site will feature 18 new courts for economic crime and a new City of London Police headquarters. The Corporation has also contributed millions to the development and ongoing running of the Report Fraud service, underlining its commitment to supporting victims and strengthening the nation’s defences against economic crime.

As the government, police leaders, and local authorities move forward with these reforms, the hope is that a more unified, accountable, and technologically advanced police service will emerge—one equipped to meet the challenges of the digital age while restoring public confidence and neighbourhood safety.