Police Leadership Commission Calls for National Overhaul of Leadership Development in England and Wales

On 6 July 2026 the Police Leadership Commission released its review of policing in England and Wales. After consulting thousands of officers, staff and members of the public, the commission concluded that leadership standards are not consistently high enough to deliver the service the public deserves. It identified fragmentation in the selection, development and promotion of leaders, noting that crime is becoming more complex, digital and international, which demands consistent specialist skills across forces.

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• More than 22 000 sergeants supervise officers nationwide.

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• Over one in five newly promoted sergeants and inspectors reported receiving no formal leadership training more than two years after promotion.

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• The review draws on responses from thousands of police personnel and members of the public.

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The commission recommends a national academy of police leadership, stronger development programmes for frontline supervisors, reforms to promotion processes, and a fast-stream pathway to identify future leaders. It stresses that police leadership development must become a properly funded national priority.

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The commission argues that inconsistent leadership hampers the police service’s ability to protect the public, treat people fairly and maintain community confidence. Strengthening leadership development is presented as essential for responding to complex crime, ensuring impartial law enforcement and preserving legitimacy.

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The report notes that police leaders are repeatedly criticised for both doing too much and too little, with external labels of “woke” or “anti-woke” imposed from outside. Critics argue such labeling distracts from the need for impartial, evidence-based policing.

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The review relies on self-reported survey data and does not include independent verification of training provision across all forces. No alternative quantitative assessments of leadership quality are presented, leaving a gap in external validation of the commission’s conclusions.

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• “After hearing from thousands of officers, staff and members of the public, it reached a stark conclusion: leadership in policing is not consistently of a high enough standard to deliver the service the public deserves.” — Police Leadership Commission

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• “More than one in five newly promoted sergeants and inspectors responding to our survey reported receiving no formal leadership training more than two years after promotion.” — Police Leadership Commission

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• “The commission’s conclusion is simple: police leadership development must become a properly funded national priority.” — Police Leadership Commission

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• “And in an age when so many want policing to choose a side, the most important thing police leaders can do is remain firmly focused on the public we serve.” — Matt Jukes, Deputy Commissioner, Metropolitan Police

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The commission calls for the creation of a national academy of police leadership, stronger development programmes for frontline supervisors, and reforms to promotion processes. It stresses that these measures must be properly funded and coordinated across forces to improve leadership quality.

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