General · 26 January 2026
UK Home Secretary Announces Police Overhaul with Response Time Targets
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is set to announce an overhaul of police practices, including new national standards for response times. Police will be required to answer 999 calls within 10 seconds and respond to incidents in urban areas within 15 minutes, and rural areas within 20 minutes. The reforms aim to improve police accountability, restore neighborhood policing, and cut red tape. The Home Office argues that current officer maintenance grants have incentivized placing uniformed officers in administrative roles.
Reported by Sky News · How we write briefs