‘Nepotism and bias’ rife in England and Wales police leadership, report finds

The brief

Police leadership in England and Wales is plagued by “nepotism and bias” and too many chiefs have lost focus on fighting crime, a government-backed report has found. The inquiry, co-chaired by former home secretary David Blunkett, found a reset was needed at all levels, with scores of top officers facing misconduct inquiries. The report, released on Monday, covers the 43 forces in England and Wales and finds a “postcode lottery” in how well the public is served. The report said: “We have also identified systemic causes for concern about the consistency, capability and culture of leadership across the service. “Put simply, leadership in policing is not consistently of a high…