The future of policing

When you see a headline reading: "The future of policing" - you will be forgiven in thinking that we are looking at a world of robot cops, flying police cars and computers that can predict if you are about to commit a crime.  

This may be a flight of sci-fi fancy but the premise that the role of the police will change is fact.

Since being in post I have seen the role of policing change and it won't stop. 

I see the future of Wiltshire Police evolving again in time in three main areas. 

Firstly, the police's continued relationship with the local authorities will become closer and even more collaborative as part of the future.

Both Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council deal with areas of life that dovetail with day to day policing issues: education, housing and people services.  The avoidance of crime is at the very heart of the concept behind Health & Wellbeing Boards.

The councils' strategic overview of such services can help the police deal with more specific issues surrounding crimes and/or problems, for example, caused by schooling, where someone lives and the care support they may be getting.

Secondly, this is highlighted by the work I and my office does with the Criminal Justice Board and probation.

To help someone get back on the straight and narrow - you need a whole raft of support services - services which the police cannot offer on their own, including: accommodation, education, training and employment, health, drugs and alcohol, finance benefit and debt and children and families.

Let's take an example of someone who has just been released from prison after serving five years for drug dealing.  What support is available to him when he is released?

We don't have to reinvent the wheel - local authorities already have their tried and tested connections to help this individual and work amongst drug and alcohol services - for example - to offer help, preventative measures and education.

I see this as a similar treatment to the way the Scottish government is treating knife crime - as a global public health issue and not just a specific criminal problem.

Thirdly, closer collaboration between PCC and the local fire service is a possibility.  Some PCCs and Forces are already doing this and the government are encouraging it. 

Here in Wiltshire and Swindon we haven't gone that far, but being represented on the fire authority as an ex-officio member would be a move forward to ensure the PCC has a voice with this emergency service, with a view to providing a more joined up approach to emergency response.

Working with local authorities as opposed to regional collaborations has to be the sensible way forward.  Local councils have the local expertise and knowledge, they know the people they support and serve, and geographically they are close which serves to save money and time in travelling. 

No-one has a crystal ball to see into the future but I am certain that the future of the police will be more and more about working in partnership than working alone.