NPCC statement: "Making the NPG Work" report

Commenting on the findings of Crest Advisory’s report “Making the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee Work: Learning from the Past, Delivering for the Public”, Deputy Chief Constable Catherine Akehurst, NPCC programme lead for the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, said:

"We welcome the report published by Crest Advisory which gives a valuable insight into current public expectations, and acknowledges the significant progress being made to improve neighbourhood policing across England and Wales.

“The NPCC has a dedicated full-time project team working in collaboration with the Home Office and the College of Policing to support forces in delivering the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee (NPG). Several of the recommendations are already being implemented, including the development of a long-term career pathway into neighbourhood policing.

“The College of Policing has worked closely with forces to design a new Neighbourhood Policing Pathway that equips officers with the essential skills and knowledge needed to deliver in this specialist area of policing. The first phase is already being delivered by forces, with the full programme expected to be delivered in full by 2027.

“Improving public contact with neighbourhood officers is a key theme of the report. From July 2025, every community now has named and contactable officers dedicated to addressing local issues. Police force websites now feature dedicated pages with details of local teams, contact information, community meeting dates, and current priorities.

“A further commitment was made to provide a meaningful response to neighbourhood queries within 72 hours, and every force now has a dedicated anti-social behaviour (ASB) lead to work directly with communities to develop action plans that tackle the concerns seen on their streets every day.

“The NPCC is supporting delivery of the Government’s commitment to increase the number of police officers, PCSOs, and Special Constables in neighbourhood policing teams by 13,000 during this Parliament, with funding secured to grow teams by 3,000 officers by the end of this financial year.

“We welcome this new investment in neighbourhood policing, however the NPCC continues to represent the position that further growth will require additional funding in order to enable full delivery of this significant increase in police resource.

“Drawing on lessons from the 2019 Police Uplift Programme, the NPCC is also addressing barriers to retention and ensuring robust recruitment and training processes are in place.

“We are working with the Home Office, College of Policing, HMICFRS, and police forces to define national abstraction guidelines, helping ensure neighbourhood officers are able to spend the majority of their time working in their communities.

“The NPG is a positive step in reprioritising neighbourhood policing, and done right, it offers a powerful opportunity to rebuild trust and improve the way policing can protect and support communities.”

The full report can be viewed here: Crest Advisory | Making the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee Work