Policy Exchange

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• Ten years of Policy Exchange

  11 March 2012

  Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien writes on The New Statesman's Staggers blog highlighting the policy achievements Policy Exchange has made over our first ten years including the introduction of Free Schools, Police & Crime Commissioners and welfare reform.

• Compassionate Conservatives find it's time to think again

  06 March 2012

  The Guardian highlights Policy Exchange's 10th birthday, calling us the most influential thinktank in Britain, and citing our past successes as well as our future policy plans such as ending national pay bargaining and moving child poverty measures to a 'causes of poverty' target.

• Blair Gibbs on BBC Radio 4's "What are the Police For?"

  30 January 2012

  Blair Gibbs, Head of Crime & Justice at Policy Exchange, makes the case on Radio 4 programme What are the Police For? for the police taking a step back and allowing other agencies to operate in non-core police areas.

• Labour's late to the policemens' ball

  06 December 2011

  Blair Gibbs, Head of Crime & Justice at Policy Exchange, writes on The Spectator's Coffee House blog arguing that the policing landscape is going to change so drastically over the next couple of years that Labour's Stevens Commission on policing will be irrelevent when it is published.

• The real cost of the cops

  11 September 2011

  A new report by leading think tank Policy Exchange shows roles in departments like forensics and control rooms are occupied by “sworn officers” instead of much-cheaper civilian staff. Some police forces have hundreds of sworn officers in back office roles. This includes over 600 officers in the Metropolitan Police control rooms and 44 police officers in the forensic department of Essex police – despite half of all forces having no officers in this area.

• Officers make up less than half of Surrey Police staff

  07 September 2011

  The Surrey Advertiser reports the finding from Policy Exchange report Cost of the Cops that Surrey had one of the highest civilianisation rates of police functions, saving the force significant sums of money.

• Vital police work that goes unseen

  06 September 2011

  The Leicester Mercury cites the finding from Policy Exchange report Cost of the Cops that millions of pounds are being wasted employing police officers in back office roles when these posts could be filled by cheaper civilians and the officers returned to front line duties.

• Police funding cuts are high on MPs' agenda

  06 September 2011

  The Sheffield Star references Policy Exchange report Cost of the Cops and its finding that more than 14,500 police officers failed to make any arrests last year.

• Judge us on service not numbers, says police chief

  06 September 2011

  The Western Morning News reports on Devon and Cornwall police reaction to Policy Exchange report Cost of the Cops, quoting Head of Crime & Justice Blair Gibbs arguing that the surge of police funding since 2001 has been inefficiently spent.

• Police shun uniforms to work

  06 September 2011

  The Daily Express cites the recommendation from Policy Exchange's latest report Cost of the Cops that police officers should wear their uniforms on the way to and from work. This would be the equivalent of an extra 1,200 visible officers to the public.

• Greater outsourcing by police will protect frontline jobs, says thinktank

  05 September 2011

  The Guardian's Professional section covers Policy Exchange's latest report Cost of the Cops, referencing its recommendation for police forces to outsource back office functions, thereby saving money and releasing police officers for front line duties.

• Police presence

  05 September 2011

  The Evening Standard cites the proposal from Policy Exchange report Cost of the Cops for police officers to wear uniform to and from work in order to increase police visibility.

• Anger over police who made no arrests in whole year

  05 September 2011

  The Yorkshire Post reports on the latest Policy Exchange report - Cost of the Cops - quoting co-author of the report Blair Gibbs arguing that inefficient police staffing practices have cost the taxpayer over half a billion pounds since 2006.

• Police 'doing civvy roles'

  05 September 2011

  The Scotsman reports the finding from Policy Exchange report Cost of the Cops that by employing front line police officers in back office roles, rather than staffing them with civilians, the police have been wasting £150m a year.

• Think tank backs police cuts proposals

  05 September 2011

  Public Service magazine covers Policy Exchange's recently released report Cost of the Cops. They quote Head of Crime & Justice Blair Gibbs - co-author of the report - arguing that the police have wasted over £500m employing front line police officers in back office roles.

• Politics Live blog - Monday 5 September

  05 September 2011

  Policy Exchange's latest report Cost of the Cops is mentioned in The Guardian's Politics Live blog, which quotes Head of Crime & Justice's Blair Gibbs from his earlier Today Programme appearance.

• Commuting police 'should wear uniforms'

  05 September 2011

  ITN covers Policy Exchange's report Cost of the Cops, quoting Head of Crime & Justice Blair Gibbs highlighting the success of Surrey and Suffolk police in reducing costs by employing civilians in back office roles and keeping their sworn officers on the front lines.

• Police officers should commute in uniforms, thinktank says

  05 September 2011

  The Guardian covers Policy Exchange's latest report Cost of the Cops, quoting co-author and Head of Crime & Justice Blair Gibbs arguing that there is a clear gap between the huge number of resources lavished on the police over the previous decade and the service delivered.

• Call for police to travel to work in uniform

  05 September 2011

  Head of Crime & Justice at Policy Exchange, Blair Gibbs, takes part in a discussion on BBC News where he argues that the increased visibility provided by Cost of the Cops recommendation that police should travel to and from work in uniform would amount to the equivalent of an extra 1,200 officers in London.

• Report suggests Police should commute in uniform

  05 September 2011

  BBC News reports on Policy Exchange's latest report Cost of the Cops, citing its recommendation that police officers should wear their uniform on the way to and from work in order to increase police visibility.

• Police chief says backroom roles are important

  05 September 2011

  The Bolton News reports on recommendations from Policy Exchange's latest report Cost of the Cops for greater 'civilianisation' of back office police functions in order to free up sworn officers for front line duties.  Head of Crime & Justice Blair Gibbs is quoted.

• Blair Gibbs on Radio Five Live

  05 September 2011

  Policy Exchange's Head of Crime & Justice Blair Gibbs stars on BBC Radio Five Live discussing the findings from report Cost of the Cops that too many police officers are performing back office functions that could otherwise be performed by civilians.

• Police reject recommendation for officers to commute in uniform

  05 September 2011

  The Metro cites recommendations from the Policy Exchange report Cost of the Cops that police officers should wear uniform to and from work in order to increase visibility and that officers should be taken from back office roles and returned to front line duties.

• Policy Exchange Suggests Police Wear Uniform When Travelling To Work

  05 September 2011

  The Huffington Post reports on the recommendation from Cost of the Cops, Policy Exchange's latest report, that police officers should wear their uniform whilst travelling in order to raise police visibility. Report co-author Blair Gibbs is quoted arguing that it is reasonable to expect officers, who receive free public travel, to wear their uniform whilst doing so.

• Blair Gibbs on the Today Programme

  05 September 2011

  Policy Exchange's Head of Crime & Justice Blair Gibbs takes part in a debate on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme making the case from report Cost of the Cops that police officers should be brought back to the front line from back office roles and filling those roles with civilians.

• Do we have the best police service in the world?

  05 September 2011

  Policy Exchange Crime & Justice Research Fellow Edward Boyd writes on The Spectator's Coffee House blog detailing findings from report Cost of the Cops that the police are wasting huge amounts of money keeping police officers in back office roles and high sickness rates.

• Police 'wasted £600m' on staffing

  05 September 2011

  The Financial Times reports on the launch of Policy Exchange report Cost of the Cops. The report finds that employing sworn officers in back office jobs better suited to civilians has cost the police more than half a billion pounds. Head of Crime & Justice Blair Gibbs is quoted.

• Police inefficiency 'wastes more than £500m in four years'

  05 September 2011

  The Times reports on Policy Exchange's report Cost of the Cops, quoting Head of Crime & Justice Blair Gibbs arguing that police spending has been so inefficient that the cuts to the police budget will be completely manageable.

• The 15,000 police who never make arrests - because they are too busy doing paperwork

  05 September 2011

  The Daily Mail covers the release of Policy Exchange's latest report Cost of the Cops, quoting Head of Crime & Justice and report co-author Blair Gibbs criticising police practices that keep officers away from front line duties.

• Police to use anti-terror work contractors

  05 September 2011

  The Financial Times cites findings from Policy Exchange report Cost of the Cops that more than £500m has been wasted by police forces using sworn officers to fulfil back office roles rather than serving on front line duties.

• Police 'could use more civilians'

  05 September 2011

  The Press Association covers Policy Exchange's latest report Cost of the Cops, quoting Blair Gibbs - Head of Crime & Justice and co-author of the report - arguing that police resourcing has been so inefficient that the swelling of officer numbers since 2001 may as well never have happened.

• Police should commute in uniform, says think tank

  05 September 2011

  BBC News quotes Policy Exchange Head of Crime & Justice Blair Gibbs revealing findings from latest report Cost of the Cops that £500m has been spent over the last five years paying for officers who are performing back office rolls.

• Police 'waste £150m a year' on officers doing backroom jobs

  05 September 2011

  The Daily Telegraph reports on Policy Exchange's latest report Cost of the Cops, quoting co-author and Head of Crime & Justice Blair Gibbs criticising the police for wasting excessive amounts of money by keeping sworn officers in back office roles.

• Ed Boyd on BBC Radio Wales

  17 August 2011

  Ed Boyd, Crime & Justice Research Fellow at Policy Exchange, takes part in a debate on BBC Radio Wales making the case from upcoming report Cost of the Cops for police officers to be taken out of back office settings and released on to the streets.

• Will politicians now dare cross the blue line?

  19 July 2011

  The Times refers to Policy Exchange's upcoming report Cost of the Cops which will examine whether current resources of police staff and uniformed officers are being used effectively.