Britain’s police forces are facing three interlinked crises – of people, purpose and poor technology, says Simon Clarke

Policing is in peril. The performance of our police is at an all-time low, with fewer than seven in a hundred crimes leading to a charge or summons, down from 17 out of 100 in 2015. Sexual offences and criminal damage are the least solved crimes, and the situation is getting worse rather than better. Just five per cent of sexual offences resulted in a charge or summons in 2023-24, down from 19 per cent in 2015.

What is going on? Onward’s latest research uncovered three interlinked crises in the police – of people, purpose and poor technology. On people, the number of officers voting with their feet tells a devastating story. In 2023, we reached a crossover: the number of police leaving because of voluntary resignation exceeded those leaving to retire. Last year, the number of voluntary exits from the police was five times higher than in 2012. An environment of poor morale is driving resignations, with 87 per cent of officers........

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