The missed opportunities of the England and Wales police leadership commission

Purpose The Police Leadership Commission was established to provide a framework for the future of policing leadership in England and Wales through a comprehensive review of existing practices which engaged policing professionals and stakeholders. The present paper critically analyzes the final report of the Commission, arguing that it represents a missed opportunity to engender sustainable change. Design/methodology/approach This structured policy analysis uses theories of autonomous motivation and organizational behavior, amongst others, to analyze the final report and identify tensions between its recommendations and their likely effects. Including the potential consequences of this for the achievement of human sustainability in policing and the forthcoming major structural and strategic reform. Findings It is proposed that the Police Leadership Commission is unlikely to result in notable change in practices due to limited attention to the underlying cultures which serve to drive these, particularly those which constrain employee autonomy, perpetuate mistrust, and contribute to perceived organizational injustices. Originality/value Through analyzing contemporary policing leadership strategy the present article makes an original contribution to scholarship in identifying subliminal themes which repeatedly serve to thwart change in the sector. Many of which will be relevant to others providing public and private professional services, where strong organizational or occupational cultures thrive, or where hierarchical traditions and rules-based climates perpetuate.