Overview

• Sir Andy Marsh, Sir Stephen Watson and Serena Kennedy have directed frontline officers to act on the smell of cannabis, describing it as a sign of crime and disorder that affects how safe communities feel.
• Freedom of Information figures show that in the year to September 2024, 68,513 cannabis possession cases yielded just 17,000 charges, with approximately three-quarters resolved through warnings or community resolutions.
• The chiefs warned that recording over 133,000 non-crime hate incidents since 2014 has diverted resources and damaged public trust, prompting calls for a legislative rewrite to clarify police priorities.
• A new National Police Chiefs’ Council leadership programme has been launched to train future chief constables in managing everyday community concerns alongside major investigations.
• The Home Office’s review of hate incident legislation remains unresolved, and policing leaders have urged ministers to finalise reforms to strengthen accountability and community confidence.