Officers and public want the same from policing – but constraints and a ‘Cinderella’ local service are damaging trust

16th June 2026Keith Potter, Editor, Policing Insight

A new report from the Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre highlights the strong alignment between officers and the public on aspirations for policing in England and Wales; but with operating constraints reducing neighbourhood policing to a “Cinderella service”, it argues for more open and honest communication with the public, as well as a stronger focus on fixing relationships within policing, if trust and legitimacy are to be maintained, reports Policing Insight’s Keith Potter.

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Officers and public want the same from policing – but constraints and a ‘Cinderella’ local service are damaging trust

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