Sir Mark Rowley is set to argue that police forces have less spending power for technology than other public bodies, and that their budgets have fallen. The remarks come as political attention prioritises headcount, with officer numbers taking precedence over investment in IT and other technological capabilities. According to the report, forces face tighter resources for adopting and maintaining modern systems, putting pressure on their ability to keep pace with technological developments.
Rowley’s position includes a call for police to have greater freedom over how they manage technology spending, suggesting that reduced control and constrained budgets limit their ability to respond to changing operational needs. The accounts describe the issue as part of a wider funding imbalance, where technology expenditure does not match the level available to comparable sectors of public services.
Overall, the coverage focuses on declining police technology budgets, linking the trend to political choices that emphasise increasing or maintaining officer numbers rather than protecting or expanding investment in policing technology.
