Police given new powers to tackle crime

Image courtesy Home Office

The Crime and Policing Bill, which is central to the government’s Plan for Change and Safer Streets mission, was introduced in Parliament yesterday and begins its journey to becoming law.

It will also include measures to address the highest-harm crimes impacting society, such as knife crime, violence against women and girls, cybercrime, child sexual abuse and terrorism.

In new measures announced today, police will be given enhanced powers against theft of mobile phones – no longer needing a warrant to search properties where stolen items have been electronically geolocated.

Under the new warrantless powers of entry, officers will be able to enter premises identified by electronic mapping if stolen items are believed to be there and it is not practicable to obtain a warrant from a court. This can be done through a ‘find my phone’ app, WiFi access points, Bluetooth, mobile network technology or tracking devices attached to any other possession or vehicle.

It will support the police to act swiftly in the ‘golden hour’ of investigations, which is particularly crucial for investigations into theft, helping to provide swifter seizures of stolen property and providing a better service to victims.

Sitting at the heart of the government’s Safer Streets mission and Plan for Change, the new bill will help tackle the crimes that matter most to communities but have been ignored for too long. The new laws will be backed up by the recruitment of 13,000 extra neighbourhood policing roles, with a named officer in every community.

On the introduction of the Crime and Policing Bill, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "This flagship Crime and Policing Bill is at the heart of our mission for safer streets and this government’s Plan for Change.

"For too long communities have had to put up with rising town centre and street crime and persistent antisocial behaviour, while neighbourhood police have been cut. And for years too little has been done to tackle the most serious violence of all including knife crime and violence against women and children.

"That is why the new Crime and Policing Bill is about taking back our streets and town centres, restoring respect for law and order and giving the police and local communities the support and tools they need to tackle local crime.

On the new warrantless powers of entry, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "For the last few years, our towns and cities have seen street theft shoot up, as organised gangs have been targeting mobile phones.

"But it is extremely frustrating for victims when they can see exactly where their stolen phone has gone but nothing is done.

"That is why we are determined to give the police the powers they need to move fast to crack down on these crimes that are blighting our communities."

It places significant focus on protecting high streets. The effective immunity for shop theft of goods below £200 will be scrapped and retail workers will be better protected from assault.

There will also be increased powers to crack down on repeat antisocial behaviour offenders, with new Respect Orders banning those prolific offenders from  town centres.

Police will be given the power to seize vehicles that cause havoc to communities, allowing them to deal with the scourge of off-road bikes in public parks and dangerous e-scooters on pavements.

The bill will treat VAWG as the national emergency it truly is, ensuring tougher enforcement action against perpetrators and better protection for victims. It will strengthen Stalking Protection Orders, introduce a new criminal offence covering spiking and bar registered sex offenders from changing their name where they continue to pose a threat.

Implementing a flagship recommendation of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, the bill will create a new duty to report child sexual abuse, backed up by criminal sanctions for those who seek to cover up abuse.

To help rebuild confidence in police, chief constables will be enabled to remove officers who are unfit to serve by allowing them the right to appeal the result of misconduct boards to the Police Appeals Tribunal.

In the year ending September 2024, police recorded one million incidents of antisocial behaviour. In the same period, they recorded over 490,000 shop theft offences, an increase of 23 percent over the previous 12-month period. Instances of theft from a person increased by 22%, while there were also over 55,000 recorded offences involving a knife or sharp instrument.

Other measures that have already been announced by the government, such as the presumption of anonymity for firearms officers facing criminal proceedings relating to the use of lethal force in the line of duty, will be introduced later in the parliamentary process. This also includes Ronan’s Law clamping down on the online sales of knives, announced last week.

Clare Sumner, Chief Policy & Social Impact Officer at the Premier League said: "The Premier League welcomes the government’s commitment to making communities safer for all through the introduction of the Crime and Policing Bill. The Premier League and our clubs – together with our partners across the game – are committed to using the power of football to provide positive opportunities for young people.  

"Launched in 2006 with the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police, Premier League Kicks is one of our flagship programmes delivered by 93 professional football club charities across the country to support young people in high-need areas. The programme provides free, weekly football sessions in safe environments offering mentoring, personal development opportunities and positive pathways for young people."

Asda Chief Commercial Officer (Non-food and Retail), Liz Evans, said: "The Crime and Policing Bill is a major step forward, which builds on the measures that this government has already introduced to deliver the Safer Streets mission. Recent interventions, like the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, will help us to directly tackle two significant challenges that we are facing as a business – incidences of assault and shoplifting are daily challenges across our estate, which have a devastating impact on colleagues and customers.

"More police working in our communities will have a positive impact as we continue to mitigate those challenges. That is why we warmly welcome this bill and recognise it as a key milestone in combatting retail crime and antisocial behaviour. As I have said before, Asda is ready to work in partnership with our new neighbourhood officers to help reduce crime and improve safety in the areas we serve."

Association of Convenience Stores chief executive James Lowman said: "We strongly welcome the introduction of the Crime and Policing Bill, which we hope will send a clear message that shop theft and assaults on retailers will be taken seriously by both the police and the justice system.

"People running and working in shops deserve to be treated with respect, and we believe this bill takes important steps toward that goal.

CEO of Neighbourhood Watch, John Hayward-Cripps,  said: "Neighbourhood Watch is delighted that the government is continuing to show its commitment to neighbourhood policing. The focus on addressing and reducing the epidemic of antisocial behaviour, theft, and shoplifting that we all witness in our town centres and communities will play an important role in increasing feelings of confidence in the police, and feeling safer in our local communities.

"The reduction in police funding over the last 15 years has been particularly felt in neighbourhood policing, resulting in low public confidence and crimes going unreported, due to the perception that the police do not have the resources to investigate.

"The Crime and Policing Bill combined with the additional resources being introduced will enable the police to do the job they want to do, rather than only focusing on their biggest priorities, and signals the government’s commitment to improving our communities and making us all feel safer and more connected."

Dawn Dines, the CEO of Stamp Out Spiking welcomes the introduction of the Crime and Policing Bill with its clear indications that government policy is addressing violent crime, antisocial behaviour, and spiking, as a matter of priority.

Increasing public confidence and the sense that people will be safer on our streets, without the fear of being attacked, together with enhanced police visibility, will go a long way to create community cohesion and confidence in Home Office strategies.

Dawn said: "The key to combatting predators of these spiking crimes, to enhance public protection and to reduce antisocial behaviour, is proactive education. A collaborative approach is essential to satisfy the needs of different communities, environments and changing trends. It is paramount for service providers to have the confidence of receiving current, concise information from key stakeholders, who deal with victims and security, in the day and nighttime economy.

"Clearly the detection and prevention of crime is not only a matter for the police. It is the duty of us all, as caring, compassionate citizens, not tolerating a culture of violence where these acts can be committed.

"This bill will create a positive impact on encouraging victims – especially of spiking – to come forward, to report, clearly indicating that offending is not acceptable and will have severe consequences."