WIREDGOV

The outgoing head of the police and fire inspectorate has warned that failure to act early on inspectorate warnings can delay improvements and leave the public exposed to avoidable risks.

Sir Andy Cooke QPM DL, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, said that if inspection findings are not acted on quickly or sufficiently, problems can worsen and become serious failures, putting the public at risk.

During his time leading His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), Sir Andy has consistently emphasised that police officers and firefighters work tirelessly to protect the public, often in challenging circumstances.

Inspection supports their important work by driving improvements in efficiency and effectiveness. By identifying areas for improvement and monitoring how forces and services respond, HMICFRS helps to raise professional standards, strengthen accountability and improve outcomes for the public.

However, Sir Andy stressed that on several occasions, delayed or insufficient action by forces, services or the Government had allowed early warnings to escalate into serious failings. These included:

• warnings about serious vetting shortcomings – including missed red flags and weak oversight – years before several high-profile cases of misconduct and criminal offending by serving officers. Insufficient action from forces allowed those risks to persist. While there is still progress to be made, many forces have now increased vetting capacity, tightened quality assurance, and strengthened standards across the board;
• findings exposing unacceptable behaviours in fire and rescue services and a culture where firefighters and staff often didn’t feel able to speak up. Too many services were slow to act, with some individuals arguing that such behaviours were confined to ‘pockets’ of services. Services and the government have since taken steps to strengthen leadership, reinforce expectations about behaviour and improve how grievances and misconduct are handled; and
• repeated warnings that neighbourhood policing officers were being diverted away from their core duties, reducing forces’ ability to tackle local crime and antisocial behaviour. A decade later and following a decline in public confidence in the police, forces and the Government are now seeking to rebuild community-based policing through the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

Since becoming HM Chief Inspector, Sir Andy has also consistently called for stronger powers for the inspectorate, to better support improvement across forces and services and intervene if enough progress isn’t being made.

The Government has responded to these concerns in the recent White Paper ‘From Local to National: A New Model for Policing’, by stating that it will introduce a new power of direction for the chief inspector, and place additional obligations on local policing bodies to report on progress against HMICFRS recommendations. It has also said it will introduce a new tiered performance system, chaired by HM Chief Inspector, to identify and support improvements in under-performing forces.

Sir Andy is continuing to call for comparable reform in fire and rescue, including pressing for operational independence for chief fire officers and extended powers for the inspectorate.

Sir Andy’s tenure comes to an end on 31 March 2026 and Michelle Skeer OBE QPM has been appointed as interim Chief Inspector. HMICFRS is well placed to build on his work under new leadership, continuing to support improvements, asking the questions the public want answered, and helping to make communities safer.

Sir Andy Cooke QPM DL, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, recently said:

“We have repeatedly seen the same pattern. Inspectors identify risks, but our warnings are not acted on quickly enough. All too often, risks have been allowed to escalate into serious failures that have negatively affected public safety and confidence.

“The vast majority of police officers and firefighters are committed professionals doing difficult jobs in challenging circumstances. Inspection is not about blame; it is about identifying the systemic issues that are holding forces and services back and helping them to improve.

“I am encouraged by the progress that has been made across policing and fire and rescue during my tenure. I am hopeful that reforms in both sectors will help them to serve the public even better. As I step down, I would like to thank all those who work across policing and fire and rescue, and staff within the inspectorate, for their dedicated public service.”

Notes

1. Sir Andy Cooke has served as HM Chief Inspector since 2022, having previously served as Chief Constable of Merseyside Police.
2. He was awarded a knighthood for services to policing and public service in the King’s New Year Honours List 2025.
3. For further information, contact the HMICFRS Press Office on 0300 071 6781 or HMICPressOffice@hmicfrs.gov.uk.