Police told to improve public communications

THE acting chair of Devon and Cornwall Police Federation (which represents rank and file officers) has said police chiefs need to consider how information is handled after serious incidents such as the Southport murders of three young girls.

- By CARL EVE

Speaking after the release of the Home Affairs Committee report into the police response to the 2024 summer disorder which saw Plymouth city centre erupt into violence on August 5 last year - Katie Clements, Acting Chair of Devon and Cornwall Police Federation, said: “The large-scale disorder which occurred through the country last year had a massive impact, not only on our communities but those seeking to look after them. Members of the community were left as victims of and in fear of personal violence, damage to property and financial deficit. The police officers working hard to maintain safe neighbourhoods and prevent crime were abused, attacked and put in fear of violence.”

The cross-party committee's findings, released this morning, noted that: “Some police forces failed to anticipate the intensity of the violence in 2024. This undermined their ability to undertake proactive policing and left officers exposed to significant risk.

“The co-ordination of the national police response to localised disorder lacked resilience which weakened the overall response. The Government's planned policing reforms should be ambitious to address these problems.”