May 16, 2007: Fewer Burdens, More Powers For Police - Home Secretary

The Police Service has a crucial role to play in meeting the challenges of 21st century security, said Home Secretary John Reid. Speaking at the Police Federation annual conference, the Home Secretary highlighted how the Government and police have worked together to meet these challenges - with Neighbourhood Policing now successfully introduced to police forces across England and Wales.

Putting the Police Service at the heart of public protection - from the personal, to the community to the national level - the Home Secretary said that the service would need to respond to the demands of the public, both in terms of their expectations of the police and a criminal justice system that supports the rights of the victim.

Demonstrating the Government’s commitment to rebalancing the criminal justice system towards the victim and provide the police with the necessary tools and resources to deliver a modern police service fit for the 21st century, the Home Secretary also announced new powers to be brought forward shortly in the Criminal Justice Bill. These include:

• widening existing premises closure powers for the police to premises where there is persistent excessive noise, rowdy behaviour, or where residents threaten their neighbours round the clock;
• introducing Violent Offender Orders (VOOs) which will enable the courts to impose requirements on those convicted of violent offences who pose a high risk of harm.

Setting out his commitment to reduce the risks of harm and injury both to members of the public and to police officers who face the threat of violence on a daily basis, the Home Secretary also announced, subject to final medical advice, his agreement to a trial extending the use of Taser to a wider pool of officers than at present. ACPO guidelines on the operational use of the Taser have been published.

Reid also responded to reports earlier this week that police were chasing minor misdemeanours at the expense of serious offenders, telling the police audience that this was ‘hitting the target but missing the point’. Reid said:

"The Police Service is facing unprecedented challenges and this government is committed to providing them with the tools they need to meet the demands of modern policing. That is why I have today announced additional powers for the police and, subject to independent medical advice, a trial to extend the use of Taser to specially trained teams.

"Further to this, I am committed to cutting bureaucracy, improving the target mechanisms and engaging in debate on local accountability in order to support frontline officers to deliver a service that is respected locally and trusted nationally. It is a decision for Chief Constables and local Basic Command Unit commanders how targets are met, but let me be clear - in future government crime reduction and detection goals must provide a focus on serious crime, particularly the most serious violent crime, and not reward numbers for numbers sake."