Police Now – What Have We Learnt?

Last updated on September 22nd, 2023 at 03:07 pm

There has been a huge amount of discussion over the last couple of weeks about Police Now, some good, some bad, some supportive, some most definitely not.

I had queries about their ‘charitable’ registration, in particular the references to the Armed Forces, and being for the benefit of ‘Mankind’.  I have received reassurances that these are just generic ‘drop down box’ choices, predermined by the Charity Commission

@Alanw47 @MPS_n_P in fairness that’s a category defined by CC, but… Still funny. pic.twitter.com/ypWY4ZBNVM

— Dissident Girl (@DissidentGirl) October 23, 2016

We have learnt a little more about how the charity is a ‘safe’ option

@MPS_n_P@InspGadgetBlogs@Alanw47 the charitable co is ltd by guarantee so nobody can or does own it, dirs can only manage it as trustees

— Dissident Girl (@DissidentGirl) October 23, 2016

We have been reassured about any possible conflict of interests arising from the appointment of certain trustees

@MPS_n_P @InspGadgetBlogs @Alanw47 as for conflict of interest…. This is in the articles of association: https://t.co/nhCceh24B3 pic.twitter.com/mZpRxHtYXh

— Dissident Girl (@DissidentGirl) October 23, 2016

On the subject of Police Now Enterprises Ltd, we have learnt a bit, but personally I am far from satisfied.  I do not feel that the existence of this company has been satisfactorily explained in a clear and transparent way.

@MPS_n_P @InspGadgetBlogs @Alanw47 the trading subsidiary was owned entirely by pn on incorporation. Taking this from companies house docs

— Dissident Girl (@DissidentGirl) October 23, 2016

Detective Chief Inspector David Spencer tried to throw some light on our overall concerns when he wrote a blog in response, which can be read in full here.

However, he says in relation to Police Now Enterprises Ltd,

Police Now has a subsidiary called Police Now Enterprises Ltd that is wholly owned by the Police Now charity. There are no individual shareholders who are able to profit from this subsidiary – the Police Now charity owns this subsidiary in its entirety. This is an entirely not for profit company. One of the reasons that Police Now Enterprises Ltd exists is to enable Police Now to utilise the gift aid provisions.

It is my understanding that to claim Gift Aid on a donation that donation must come from an Individual, who is a taxpayer, and has paid an amount of Income Tax equal to, or greater than, the amount of Gift Aid being claimed.  I can’t see anywhere in the HMRC rules where it says it can be applied to a £5 million government grant.  What are the OTHER reasons for its existence?  I’m genuinely intrigued.

I’m sorry David but I think Police Now has failed on explaining that one, it doesn’t seem to be quite that simple.

I asked Police Now what they were doing for Police Scotland and PSNI.  They did respond.

@Alanw47 We are not currently working w/them. However, we are always looking to bring new forces interested in the programme on-board.

— Police Now (@Police_Now) October 24, 2016

After that @MPalmer3270 started off a quite incredible thread about the Police Now staff

@Police_Now @Alanw47 Are your police officer staff full time or do this as well as a day job in their own Force ?

— Martin Palmer (@MPalmer3270) October 25, 2016

Which prompted this from me

@Trotsky130 @MPalmer3270 @Police_Now Is that for Overtime then Richard?

— Alan Wright (@Alanw47) October 25, 2016

I certainly did NOT expect the response I got to that.

@Alanw47 @MPalmer3270 @Police_Now i havent earned anything from this. In fact the job has had hundreds of free hours of extra work from me

— Richard Sparks (@Trotsky130) October 25, 2016

@Alanw47 @MPalmer3270 @Police_Now not claming victim status but certainly not making any money at all

— Richard Sparks (@Trotsky130) October 25, 2016

@Alanw47 @MPalmer3270 @Police_Now Im trying to pull us back to the professional organisation we were around 10 yrs ago .

— Richard Sparks (@Trotsky130) October 25, 2016

And then I really became concerned

@JSHKT20 @Alanw47 @MPalmer3270 @Police_Now ex PN MPs and senior civil servants are my aim. PN already linked to Civil Service fast stream

— Richard Sparks (@Trotsky130) October 25, 2016

Taken together with an extract taken from a Job Desription for a job currently being advertised at Police Now

What you’ll get from us: 

• An opportunity to work at a true start up and to make a real impact on the Police Now Programme
• Be a part of a society-defining organisation and change the way that the most challenged communities across the country interact with the police
• A great team passionately working to build the next generation of leaders –both in and outside of policing
• A buzzing office located in Old Street in Central London
• Salary: Circa £28,000 dependent on experience
• Police Now’s core benefits package including 27 days holiday per annum and participation in a pension scheme (with employer contributions).

What does that mean?  Does this mean that we have learnt that Police Now actually exist to provide ‘leadership’ skills to people who will ultimately leave the Police Service and go on to take their skills into the Private Sector, or progress to be politicians or Civil Servants, both with skills provided by, and paid for by, Police Now (or, indirectly, by Central Government, that might be a clue).

So, this is what I have learnt about Police Now over the last week.  If you have learnt anything more, please share it with us all in the Comments section below.  I promise I will publish each and every Comment received on this subject in the interests of Balance and Fairness, and, who knows, we might even get a better explanation of the purpose of Police Now Enterprises Ltd.