APCC comment on police inspectorate's review of police response to summer disorder
HMICFRS has published part one of its review of the police response to the public disorder during the summer. Commenting on the review’s findings, APCC Chair and PCC for Merseyside, Emily Spurrell, said:
“HMCIC, Andy Cooke, rightly commends the bravery of officers faced with an explosion of violence at a time when the shocking murder of three young girls, Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Da Silva Aguiar, should have been uppermost in people’s minds. As PCC for Merseyside which includes Southport where the disorder began, I know the deeply challenging situation frontline officers were confronted with on the streets. I’d like to thank them once again for their work in keeping people and property safe along with those from local communities who came together to clear up and support one another.
“It’s clear that the national mobilisation of public order police and resources, once activated, was decisive in bringing the disorder to an end. This was an incredibly complex and challenging situation, and inspectors have concluded that mobilisation should have taken place earlier. Inspectors have also highlighted that there was a disparate intelligence picture and there must now be a focus on how we can seek to improve the level of resourcing and cross-agency communication to ensure police forces have the information they need to respond effectively.
“Much of the disorder was directed and encouraged online which is why tackling mis- and disinformation is at the forefront of our conversations about police reform with the new government. Intelligence is at the heart of this work, both online and in our communities. Neighbourhood officers embedded in the local communities they police are key to building an accurate intelligence picture which informs decisions on the appropriate policing response at local, regional and national level. PCCs have long advocated for increased visible neighbourhood policing because we know they are what the public want, and we look forward to the additional local officers and PCSOs that the government has promised.
“The 10 days of serious disorder in the summer were extremely challenging for policing and worrying for communities, but it is right that we reflect on the police response - what worked well and what needs addressing - to make sure we can prevent any further outbreaks of violence in the future and respond robustly if incidents are expected.”
Notes
- Part one of HMICFRS's Inspection of the police response to the public disorder in July and August 2024 is available via the HMICFRS website.