The government is introducing reforms to strengthen police accountability while giving officers more confidence in their duties. A key amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, expected to be

tabled this week, will grant firearms officers automatic anonymity during criminal trials following a shooting—up until a conviction. This aims to protect officers and their families from threats, especially from criminal gangs.

These changes are part of the government’s wider Plan for Change to make streets safer and address concerns raised in the recent accountability review.

Key measures in the bill:

1. Anonymity for Firearms Officers: Officers involved in shootings will remain anonymous during court proceedings and media reporting unless convicted.

2. Improved Investigation Processes:

- The threshold for the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to refer officers to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will now match the standard used for civilians.

- The IOPC can refer cases to the CPS before completing its full investigation, speeding up the process.

- The IOPC’s victims’ right to review policy will become law, ensuring victims and families have a voice.

These changes address long-standing issues like delays and inefficiencies in misconduct investigations—problems that have undermined trust among both the public and the police.

Statements from leaders:

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

“The proud British tradition of policing by consent depends on mutual bonds of trust between the police and the communities they serve. That’s why we have set out an ambitious package of measures to rebuild both public trust in policing and the confidence of police officers in their vital work to keep the public safe.

Police officers in specialist roles who make split-second decisions to keep the public safe must have the confidence to carry out their duties, knowing that the systems which hold them to account for their decisions are fair.

Too often those processes have involved unacceptable delays and confusion, which has been damaging both for the police and the public. These changes will help to boost confidence that the system will work swiftly and effectively for all those involved”.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, said:

“The progress that has been made on vital accountability reform should be welcomed. In particular, I am very pleased to see that the previous commitment on anonymity for firearms officers subject to criminal trials is going to be introduced as an amendment to legislation going through Parliament.

We know further reform is needed if officers are to have full confidence in the system that holds them to account but alongside our policing partners we are working positively and constructively with the government and that work will continue”.

Lead of the National Police Chiefs’ Council Operations Coordination Committee and the Senior Responsible Officer for the accountability review, Chief Constable BJ Harrington, said:

“We welcome today’s announcement. These are positive changes which will ensure that the public interest is served, and that police officers and staff will have the confidence to protect the public and uphold the law.

Everyone in policing expects to be held to account for their actions and use of powers. However, too often we hear of the devastating, and often disproportionate, impact on officers, staff and their families after they have stepped forward with courage and professionalism on behalf of the public.

Whether it’s an issue concerning use of force, death following contact with the police, police driving or where officers are alleged to have broken the law, it is important that the accountability mechanism is swift, balanced, and fair. This in turn will give our people the confidence to fulfil their duties, and the public confidence in their professionalism and decision making.

We remain determined to get police accountability right and we will support government to improve the current accountability system to ensure community support, and importantly, to give police officers and staff the knowledge that where they act, to do the right things for the right reasons, they have the support to do their job of tackling crime and protecting the public”.

In addition to these reforms, the government also announced new regulations allowing police chiefs to immediately dismiss officers who fail background checks—another step toward restoring public confidence in law enforcement. Photo by Thomas Wood from Sheffield, England, Wikimedia commons.