What do the public want from police? Towards a minimum policing standard

Adapting a methodology inspired by the ‘minimum income standard’, the team engaged members of the public to develop a ‘minimum policing standard’. This means an established consensus on a set of activities and services that the police should – under normal circumstances - be able to provide to everyone. Participants identified police as essential first responders to a whole range of situations and were clear on the distinctive need for police to respond effectively in moments of danger, risk and uncertainty. Where this involves crime, police were seen as necessary to resolve the matter. Participants identified police as essential first responders to a whole range of situations and were clear on the distinctive need for police to respond effectively in moments of danger, risk and uncertainty. Where this involves crime, police were seen as necessary to resolve the matter. However, participants also identified the need for appropriate third parties to step in, notably in relation to people with vulnerabilities.