New Legislation and policing reforms: The risks to community engagement

With the Nationwide Riots of 2011, the Communities and Victims Panel highlighted many issues surrounding police community engagement and interaction. This article discusses the risks posed to these policing practices through the implementation of policing reforms, changes to legislation such as the new Criminal Behaviour Orders / Anti-social Behaviour powers and how the introduction of PCC’s could see prioritisation of frontline policing over neighbourhood duties.

The race riots and civil disturbances of 2001 led to the development of Community Cohesion and community policing, a strategy that saw policing priorities shift from high level policing issues such as robbery to community issues such as graffiti, dog fouling etc. This also led to the creation of Police and Community Together meetings, National Indicators, Public Service Agreements etc.

With the removal of these measurement targets along with budgetary and officer cuts, examination of the risks posed to community engagement will be assessed.

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