Policing Fit for the Future

The challenges facing policing in Britain have never been more complex, yet the system is stuck in the past and at crisis point.

Years of the Conservatives ineffective resourcing and mismanagement of our policing service have left communities feeling abandoned in the face of crime and anti-social behaviour.

That, coupled with huge court backlogs, denying victims justice, undermining public confidence and allowing too many criminals to get away with it, means trust between the police and the public has been eroded.

We believe Britain deserves better - a modern, joined-up policing system that prevents crime, delivers justice swiftly, and restores public confidence. That means smarter use of technology, proper investment in people, and targeted action to keep every community safe.

Today, Liberal Democrat members have passed new policy to make policing fit for the future:

• Join up policing and the wider justice system with secure data sharing.
   
• Tackle court backlogs, reduce reoffending, and prioritise crime prevention.
   
• Improve responses to violence against women and girls with sustainable funding, better training, and high-quality perpetrator programmes.
   
• Embed rural crime teams or specialists in every police force, expand community police counters, and enforce tougher penalties for rural offences.
   
• Equip police forces with the technology they need to prevent and solve crime through better coordination, procurement, and recruitment.
   
• Introduce mandatory national vetting standards for officers and publish regular data on those under investigation to rebuild public trust.

Strong, effective policing isn’t just about more officers, it’s about giving them the tools, training, and support they need to do the job. That means mental health support for officers, smarter use of technology with proper safeguards, and closer work with schools, youth services, and communities to stop crime before it starts.

Liberal Democrats will put public safety first, with a policing system that’s fair and fit for the 21st century. Because everyone, no matter where they live, deserves to feel safe in their own home and walking down their own street.