Police forces will be expected to answer 999 phone calls within 10 seconds and reach the scene of violent crime faster under reforms due to be announced by the home secretary.
As part of a major overhaul of policing in England and Wales on Monday, Shabana Mahmood will say that police officers will be expected to reach the scene of the most serious incidents within 15 minutes in cities and 20 minutes in rural areas.
The most serious incidents include danger to life, serious injury to a person or serious damage to property, and use or immediate threat of violence. They will also include crimes in progress or where an offender has just been found at a scene.
Ms Mahmood will give police forces new targets to ensure that standards are the same across the country. She said: “Everyday crimes are on the rise across the country and too often there seem to be no consequences.
“People are reporting crimes and then waiting hours or even days for a response. By the time the police arrive, the perpetrators and witnesses are long gone.”
The full reforms for policing will be unveiled in a white paper published on Monday. Ms Mahmood has already announced the formation of a new National Police Service (NPS), dubbed “Britain’s FBI”, which will take over responsibility for counter-terror, fraud and organised crime investigations.
The creation of the super force will free up local forces to tackle everyday crime, Ms Mahmood said. Currently, the Metropolitan Police is responsible for counter-terror policing, the National Air Service is run by West Yorkshire Police, and National Roads Policing by Sussex Police.
These national investigations will be dealt with by the new NPS, which will also take in the work of the National Crime Agency (NCA).
The government is also expected to radically reduce the number of police forces from its current level of 43. Police officers in England and Wales will be required to hold a licence to be able to continue working under the new plans.
Officers will have to renew a “licence to practice” throughout their career by keeping up to date with specific training, such as on tackling violence against women and girls.
Responding to the Home Office’s targets for answering 999 calls and attending serious crimes, John Hayward-Cripps, chief executive of Neighbourhood Watch, said: “The data shows that there is a real variation in how well different forces respond to incidents. Police effectiveness, and the trust we place in the police, is built on the relationships that they have and maintain with the public.
“Therefore, the government introducing national standards and, crucially, the resource required to meet them is a welcome step forward.”
