Police stuck in the past with old technology to fight ‘blockchain-enabled criminals’, expert says

Police are stuck in the past leading to a crisis of confidence among the public, an expert has warned.

Crimefighting is now a struggle between ‘Betamax police’ – referring to the defunct video format – and criminals who exploit cutting-edge technology like ‘blockchain’, the science behind crypto currencies, the head of a forthcoming major report said.

Sir Michael Barber, a former Ministry of Justice non-executive director, will call for ‘fundamental reform’ today.

‘In the digital age, where the dark web is often the new crime frontline, it can feel like a contest between a Betamax police force and blockchain-enabled criminals,’ he said.

‘As an illustration, we have a national police computer that is nearly 50 years old and is an emblem of the past rather than a cutting edge tool of the present. There is a clear crisis of confidence in policing in England and Wales. This is not just the result of recent high-profile issues, but is far more fundamental.

‘Huge societal, technological and environmental changes are happening at warp speed yet too often policing seems stuck in the past, hardly fit for the present – let alone the future.’

Sir Michael, who was head of the No10 delivery unit under Tony Blair, has led a major review of policing by the Police Foundation think-tank.

He will highlight his conclusions at a conference hosted by the Centre for Policy Studies today. 

The British tradition of policing by consent is at serious risk unless there is major reform, Sir Michael will warn. 

He is expected to point out that violent crime has risen and more than 40 per cent of all crime now is online fraud, the vast majority of which goes undetected. 

He is also expected to highlight failures in prosecuting rape and other sexual offences.

Sir Michael said: ‘There is a clear crisis of confidence in policing in England and Wales. This is not just the result of recent high-profile issues, but is far more fundamental’

‘The thin blue line is now stretched far too thin. It is encouraging that more police are now being recruited but there is a long way to go,’ he will say.

‘Too often our police are effectively a social service dealing more with mental health and family breakdown than crime fighting or a crime prevention service.’

The Commons public accounts committee said in December it is ‘not clear’ whether the £1.1billion replacement for the Police National Computer will be up and running by 2025-26 – when it will already be at least five years late.