Police Reform Announced: But Where’s the Reform for Victims?

On 26 January 2026, the government published its police reform white paper, From local to national: a new model for policing. The reforms introduce mandatory vetting to prevent officers with domestic abuse cautions or convictions from joining the force, new powers to dismiss officers for serious misconduct, and enhanced public protection training.

These changes are necessary and long overdue. High-profile cases such as David Carrick and Wayne Couzens have exposed how perpetrators of abuse have been able to hide within police ranks.

But while the government focuses on removing abusers from policing, it remains silent on how policing fails the victims it is meant to protect.

Internal culture versus external accountability

The white paper tackles misconduct within police forces. It does not address what happens when officers follow policy on paper but fail victims in practice.

Every 30 seconds, police receive an emergency call about domestic abuse. Yet the gap between policy and implementation remains vast. The Victims’ Code exists. Specialist domestic abuse teams exist. Training exists. And yet victims still routinely experience:

• Cases closed without notification

• Evidence requests ignored

• Incorrect legal advice about what constitutes abuse

• No explanation of rights or review processes

• Communication breakdowns that leave them isolated

When these failures are challenged, the response is often bureaucratic: “We logged entries on the system. Officers were assigned. Reviews took place.” Logging activity is not the same as communicating with victims. Following internal process is not the same as following the Victims’ Code.

Training without accountability

The white paper promises “more comprehensive public protection training which includes a focus on domestic abuse.” This is welcome in theory. But we already train officers on the Victims’ Code. We already have policies requiring victim contact, evidence collection, and communication of decisions.

The problem is not the absence of training or policy. The problem is that there are no meaningful consequences when officers fail to meet their statutory obligations. If an officer with a domestic abuse conviction loses their job, but an officer who closes a domestic abuse case without informing the victim faces no consequences, what message does that send?

What reform for victims should look like

True reform would include:

• Transparency: Public reporting on compliance with the Victims’ Code, including victim contact, evidence handling, and communication timelines

• Accountability: Consequences when forces fail to meet statutory obligations to victims, not only when individual officers commit crimes

• Independent oversight: Victims’ experiences reviewed independently, not by the same Professional Standards departments that prioritise internal process

• Victim voice in reform: Survivors and specialist domestic abuse services meaningfully involved in designing how police respond

  
  

The bottom line

Removing perpetrators from police ranks is essential. But it is only half the equation. Victims deserve policing that treats them with the dignity, communication, and support the law entitles them to. Policy without implementation is just words on paper. Until reform addresses both who police are and what they do, victim confidence will remain broken.