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Wikipedia / His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services

His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), formerly Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), has statutory responsibility for the inspection of the police forces of England and Wales, and since July 2017 the fire and rescue services of England. HMICFRS is headed by the Chief Inspector of Constabulary and Chief Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services. It has taken over the responsibilities of His Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate.

The Inspectorate is one of 5 inspectorates of the criminal justice system of England and Wales. The others are His Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons, His Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation, and the Criminal Justice Joint Inspectorate.

Inspections may also be made, by invitation only, and on a non-statutory basis, of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and other organisations with policing responsibility.

England and Wales

In England and Wales, HMICFRS is responsible to the UK Parliament. The first inspectors were appointed under the County and Borough Police Act 1856; current statutory functions are contained in the Police Act 1996 and related legislation. However, the body's principal statutory functions are unchanged since its establishment in 1856, namely to assess and report on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces in England and Wales. In July 2017, its remit was expanded to include responsibility to assess and report on the efficiency, effectiveness and leadership of the 45 Fire & Rescue services in England.

The inspectorate is also paid by other departments to report on the activities of non-Home Office bodies involved in law enforcement, such as the British Transport Police, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, HM Revenue and Customs, the National Crime Agency, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and some overseas police forces. Reporting has also been performed on a voluntary basis for the Special Investigation Branch (SIB) of the Royal Military Police. It also receives funding from the Treasury for its work on HMRC.

As a public authority, decisions and actions of HMICFRS are susceptible to judicial review.

Personnel

Michelle Skeer became interim HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary and HM Chief Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services in April 2026. The process to select a permanent chief inspector is ongoing. Skeer was the Chief Constable of Cumbria Constabulary prior to joining HMICFRS in 2023. Her predecessor was Andy Cooke, former chief constable of Merseyside Police, who was in office from April 2022 to March 2026. Before Cooke the chief inspector was the lawyer and former rail regulator Tom Winsor, who took office on 1 October 2012 as the first chief inspector to be appointed from outside the police service.

In addition to the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, there are three Inspectors of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services: Lee Freeman, former chief constable of Humberside Police; Kathryn Stone, former chair of the Bar Standards Board and before that Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards; Roy Wilsher, former chief fire officer in Hertfordshire. Appointments follow the Code of Practice of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Northern Ireland

Inspections of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have been made in recent years by invitation, on a non-statutory basis. The Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 allows HMIC to perform inspection and assessment of services or projects by direction of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. At the request of the chief constable of the PSNI, in 2013 the inspectorate published a report into Northern Ireland's Historical Enquiries Team.

List of chief inspectors

Inspectors of Constabulary for England and Wales from 1856:

  • Captain Francis J. Parry, to 1900

  • Captain Herbert D. Terry, from 1900

The first chief inspector was appointed in 1962.

  1. Sir William Johnson, 19621963

  2. Sir Edward Dodd, 19631966

  3. Colonel Sir Eric St Johnston, 19671970

  4. Sir John McKay, 19701972

  5. Sir John Hill, 19721975

  6. Sir James Haughton, 19761977

  7. Sir Colin Woods, 19771979

  8. Sir James Crane, 19791982

  9. Sir Lawrence Byford, 19831987

  10. Sir Richard Barrett, 19871990

  11. Sir John Woodcock, 19901993

  12. Sir Trefor Morris, 19931996

  13. Sir David O'Dowd, 19962001

  14. Sir Keith Povey 20022005

  15. Sir Ronnie Flanagan, 20052009

  16. Sir Denis O'Connor, 20092012

  17. Sir Thomas Winsor, 20122022

  18. Sir Andy Cooke, 2022March 2026

  19. Michelle Skeer, April 2026–present

In July 2017, the role became Chief Inspector of Constabulary and Chief Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services. The incumbent is Michelle Skeer, who was appointed in April 2026.

2021 protest report

In March 2021, HMICFRS published a report that endorsed a proposed clampdown on protests. In response to the report, a whistleblower alleged that its authors had reached conclusions favouring the government's view prior to gathering and assessing evidence, in breach of the civil service code.

See also

References