Mahmood to pledge less police red tape in reforms

Home Secretary will retake the power to sack under-performing chief constables in a bid to increase accountability in the police.

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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. I will restore neighbourhood policing and scale up patrols in communities to catch criminals and cut crime.”

Police forces will be required to respond to emergencies in urban areas within 15 minutes, and within 20 minutes in rural areas.

Most forces already have targets to respond to incidents within those times, but the Home Office said there was currently no way of holding them accountable if they failed to meet that standard.