Policing reform provides opportunities to do better, says Police Chief
Wiltshire Police Chief has shared her view on the government’s new policing reform white paper
Wiltshire's Police Chief believes Government plans to reform policing offer an opportunity to ensure the public receives a better service.
Released last Monday (26th January), the paper outlines the government's commitment to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of policing nationwide, while also strengthening local policing services.
Chief Constable Catherine Roper described the proposals as an opportunity to ensure ever better policing for communities but acknowledged the need to carefully navigate changes while continuing Wiltshire Police’s improvement journey.
"My focus remains on delivering an improving service to Wiltshire’s communities and maintaining our strong focus on neighbourhood policing," the Chief said. "Over the last 12 months, we’ve doubled our community engagement, tackling behaviour that concerns our local residents, and we’re committed to continuing this important work."
Accountability and transparency
The white paper introduces new benchmarks for response times—15 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural settings—and aims to boost trust, victim satisfaction, and confidence in police forces.
Chief Roper confirmed that Wiltshire Police already meets the response-time targets outlined in the paper. "We’re delivering on this, which is a great start, but policing must always be held to account, and transparency is key to building trust and legitimacy," she said.
Wiltshire Police was ranked the third most trusted force in the country last year by the Office for National Statistics. While Roper is proud of this achievement, she recognises there’s always room for improvement.
Cost-saving and efficiency
The paper also highlights opportunities for greater cost efficiency, such as merging services across forces to streamline operations.
The Chief Constable noted the financial challenges Wiltshire Police is already facing, including saving £8 million this financial year and achieving further savings of £4.6 million in 2024.
She sees potential in brigading certain functions, such as ICT and finance, to redirect resources to frontline policing.
"There may well be opportunities to standardise services and create economies of scale, but the focus will always be on ensuring the highest possible standards and keeping communities safe," she said.
National and local policing
Plans for a national policing service to handle serious and complex crimes were another key feature of the white paper.
While the details are still being worked through, the Chief emphasised the government’s commitment to supporting local policing and reinforcing community-focused initiatives across England and Wales.
"The white paper’s focus on neighbourhood policing is clear," she said. "We’ve made great strides in Wiltshire, and we’ll continue to work hard to strengthen local policing and reassure our communities."
Keeping the public updated
As changes are rolled out, the Chief Constable is committed to keeping Wiltshire residents informed: "Over the next 18 months to two years, there will be many discussions, but I’ll ensure that everyone—staff, partners, and communities—is updated on decisions and their impact."
"Safety will always be the top priority," she added. "Our focus is on delivering ever-stronger policing services and enabling communities to feel listened to and reassured."
Wiltshire Police continues its transformation programme alongside adapting to the wider changes outlined in the government’s white paper.