Police Leadership Requires Ethical Reset, Says Lord Blunkett
The police service in England and Wales is currently "not good enough," and its leadership demands an "ethical reset," according to Lord Blunkett.
In an exclusive interview with the BBC ahead of the release of a significant report he co-authored on police leadership, the former Labour home secretary highlighted weaknesses in leadership, morale, and culture throughout the police service.
The report, scheduled for publication on Monday, will assert that there are "significant causes for concern" and that police leadership needs a "fundamental overhaul."
"At the moment, the service isn't good enough," Lord Blunkett stated. "At the moment, the morale and motivation of many of those working in the service needs a reset."
Produced in collaboration with former Conservative policing minister Lord Herbert for the College of Policing, the report recommends a "root and branch modernisation" of recruitment, development, and monitoring within the police service.
The College of Policing commissioned this "comprehensive" review of police leadership to ensure the service can effectively respond to evolving threats and meet government targets, especially amid declining public confidence in policing.
In the most recent inspection round, none of the 43 police forces in England and Wales received an "outstanding" grade for leadership. Nearly one-third were rated as needing improvement, and two were deemed inadequate.
During an appearance on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Lord Blunkett revealed that evidence collected during the review indicated "a very large number of those at senior level who have been or are under investigation."
"I think at the moment, there are eight former or serving chief constables who are either under disciplinary action or awaiting the result," he said. "And that's out of 43 forces."
He further added,
"All of that leads us to believe that a new ethical reset is required."
The report will also address challenges such as limited resources, excessive administrative paperwork, and officers feeling "demotivated" by negative and overly risk-averse leadership cultures.
Discussion on 'Two-Tier Policing' and Race Relations
Lord Blunkett was questioned about the concept of "two-tier policing," a term used by some politicians to suggest that police may treat ethnic minorities more favorably than white individuals.
Last month in the House of Commons, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage linked this idea to the police's handling of the murder of Henry Nowak, a teenager who was arrested while dying after his killer had falsely accused him of racism.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer dismissed these claims, stating he did not believe two-tier policing exists in the UK, and accused Farage of exploiting the tragedy to foster grievance and division.
"I think there's a perception. We've moved the pendulum.
"It's gone from the [1999] Macpherson report about outright racism in the force, particularly the reflections in the Met, all the way through to people saying 'oh, it's woke'.
"We make it clear in the report that there's no room for culture wars or woke. It isn't the job of the police in our country to take sides of any sort. It's the job of the police to deliver."
