Police reforms welcomed by GMP chief as forces face modern challenges

GMP Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson says he welcomes the government's policing reform proposals and highlights that Greater Manchester Police has improved call response times, doubled arrests and solved more crimes compared with five years ago.

Sir Stephen Watson, Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, writes that he supports the government's plans to reform policing and says some forces can appear flat-footed under the current structure. He notes he will have served 38 years in the police this May and points to enduring public expectations such as visible neighbourhood policing and prompt, professional responses. Watson says the policing landscape has been transformed by online fraud, AI-related offences, grooming on social media and online radicalisation. He argues reform is needed to deliver consistent core standards while keeping the fundamentals of policing in place. Key points: - Sir Stephen Watson will mark 38 years of police service in May and speaks from long experience. - He welcomes the government's proposals for policing reform and says national plans keep a focus on core standards and neighbourhood policing. - He describes rapid change in crime driven by technology, including online fraud, AI-related crime, child grooming on social media, and online radicalisation. - Greater Manchester Police reports improved performance: faster call answers, emergency response within the 15-minute target, twice as many crimes solved as five years ago, and doubled arrests. - GMP says it has introduced technology such as live facial recognition, which it reports led to 40 arrests in its first three months. Summary: The article presents Watson's view that policing must modernise to keep pace with technological change while maintaining core neighbourhood services. He says reform aims to create more consistent national standards, and he will introduce a new internal plan for GMP to the workforce this week. The wider implementation timetable of national reforms is undetermined at this time.