The Strategic Policing Requirement (SPR) sets out those threats which, in the Home Secretary’s view, are the biggest threat to public safety and must be given due regard by Police and Crime Commissioners when issuing or varying Police and Crime Plans.
It supports PCCs as well as Chief Constables to plan, prepare and respond to these threats by clearly linking the local response to the national, highlighting the capabilities and partnerships that policing needs to ensure it can fulfil its national responsibilities.
A revised version of the SPR was published in 2023 which provided strengthened detail around the action required from policing at the local and regional level to the critical national threats. The latest SPR sets out seven identified national threats. These are as follows:
- Violence against women and girls (VAWG)
- Terrorism
- Serious and organised crime
- National cyber incidents
- Child sexual abuse
- Public disorder
- Civil emergencies
During the course of 2023/24, these themes have been explored as part of my formal scrutiny work programme, including a comprehensive annual update following the publication of the revised Requirement, with a follow-up assessment scheduled for July 2024.
In addition to these formal oversight mechanisms, my team are also members of all key Force Governance Boards, ensuring that we have direct access to information concerning current operational and strategic matters, particularly those that relate to the SPR.
Key aspects of the SPR are also embedded in the Force’s refreshed Control Strategy and new vision document (known as “Our Plan”), and these documents will be informing development of my new Police and Crime Plan for 2025-29 – with the aim to combine both concerns of the public whilst reflecting modern policing challenges.
Due to all of the above, I am confident that the Force is giving due regard to the SPR and I will continue to provide oversight in the coming year.
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