01.08.16
New HM Inspector of Constabulary asked to take ‘balanced’ approach
Police representatives have said that inspecting the force “must be about more than ticking boxes” as the government announced the appointment of a new HM Inspector of Constabulary.
Matthew Parr, who was previously a rear admiral in the Royal Navy, was appointed to the post.
The work entails overseeing police forces in the London region, non-Home Office forces and the National Crime Agency, and inspecting counter terrorism policing and organised crime policing.
Calum Macleod, vice-chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “The Police Federation of England and Wales wishes Matthew Parr well in his new role. He will need to take the time to understand policing and the demands on officers in the current climate.
“Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary plays an important role in effectively assessing police forces and identifying best practice, but must ensure its increasing inspection regime is delivered in a balanced way, a way that doesn’t further impact on taking away from both an already over stretched front line and over stretched budgets. It must be about more than ticking boxes.”
Parr said he was delighted to have been “appointed to this prestigious post”.
“Policing is a crucial and demanding public service and I look forward to using the experience I have gained in a rewarding career in the Navy to help promote further reform and improvement,” he added.
The HMIC’s latest annual report rated 18 local police forces as ‘requiring improvement’, compared to eight the previous year, and found that just one was ‘outstanding’.
Zoë Billingham, the then Inspector of Constabulary, said that effective neighbourhood policing risks being ‘eroded’ by spending cuts.
Former chancellor George Osborne recently pledged that there would be no real-term cuts to policing in the next four years, but Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) have expressed doubt about the promise.
Amber Rudd, the new home secretary, said: “I am delighted to confirm Matthew Parr as Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary.
“Matthew brings a wealth of expertise and experience from his career in the Royal Navy that will be invaluable in his new role and I look forward to working with him in the future.”
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