It has become almost impossible to discuss policing today without someone trying to place it on one side of a political argument or another. Depending on who is speaking, policing is either “too woke” or not progressive enough. Police leaders are criticised for doing too much, then criticised for doing too little.

This can become a distraction from the question that really matters: are we building a police service capable of protecting the public, treating people fairly and keeping communities safe?

Today, the police leadership commission publishes its review covering England and Wales. After hearing from thousands of officers, staff and members of the public, it reached a stark conclusion: leadership in policing is not consistently of a high enough standard to deliver the service the public deserves. That is not a conclusion reached lightly, and it will make uncomfortable reading for many of us who have dedicated our careers to leading police forces across the country.

Throughout the commission’s work, we saw remarkable examples of leadership at every level. We met officers and staff making difficult decisions under intense pressure, protecting vulnerable people, disrupting criminals and serving communities with extraordinary professionalism and commitment.

But we........

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