Thousands of police officers put themselves at risk on our behalf day in, day out. Their example shines through, especially when you remember that some are killed and many thousands more are injured in the line of duty every year.Yet the bravery and dedication of these individuals cannot hide the disturbing contrast between the best of British policing and the very worst – failures exposed in a series of recent scandals.This is why, supported by the Home Office, the independent Police Leadership Commission has concluded we need a root-and-branch overhaul of recruitment, training, appraisal and promotion. And that nowhere do we need more radical change than at the very top.I thought, as a former Home Secretary, that I knew a great deal about policing. Yet I have learnt more co-chairing the nine months of this inquiry than I ever did in the nearly four years I was at the Home Office. I have learnt, for example, about the way that officers at all levels have lost confidence in those above them.In a recent survey, only 16 per cent of constables felt comfortable discussing problems and challenging those above them. Yet the demands we put upon them continue to grow.Constables are forced to step up as ‘temporary sergeants’ so frequently that the practice is now endemic. 'We need a root-and-branch overhaul of recruitment, training, appraisal and promotion,' writes David Blunkett The former home secretary writes that 'nowhere do we need more radical change than at the very top' of the policeSergeants are crucial front-line leaders. Yet those constables who wish to make this important move permanent face an utterly outdated examination and qualification system – which means that nearly 50 per cent of candidates drop out before qualifying. Then there is the collection and use of police data, which is not quite in the Stone Age but not far off.However, it is at the very highest level in policing that we’ve found the most troubling evidence of failure, particularly when it comes to promotions.I don’t use the word ‘nepotism’ lightly because it implies deep-seated preferential treatment for those close to the senior officers making the decisions. But I’m afraid it’s true. We took detailed evidence from round-table discussions.We had 484 submissions for our ‘call to evidence’, and nearly 1,800 sergeants and inspectors responded to a survey.And the message was the same: there is a complete lack of confidence in the promotion ladder, and a reluctance to step on to the next rung of leadership.The ‘pipeline’ of those coming through to senior grades is woefully inadequate. Our recommendations aim to encourage and support high-quality potential leaders to come forward.To do so, they need to be confident that they will receive support, and, at the same time, that they will be held to account. The decisions they make will often be challenged. This is why top leadership must be trusted to have the ethics and decency to inspire those working for them.Sadly, the evidence – as so many incidents have highlighted – leaves much to be desired. From a cohort of 43 chief constables and a further 220 senior officers, the Independent Office for Police Conduct has, since 2018, received 107 referrals involving chief officers, leading to 78 investigations.Eight chief constables or former chief constables are under investigation or awaiting disciplinary proceedings.Our findings endorse the Government’s police reform white paper that the new national police service should incorporate measures that provide a transparent selection and appointment process. You can rest assured that our 27 recommendations deal directly with the shocking events at the Charing Cross custody suite in London – which has resulted in ten officers being dismissed for thuggish behaviour.Let us celebrate those who are deeply committed and do take pride in their job. And let us ensure, too, that this top-to-bottom reset creates the new national police service that the people of these islands deserve.We need to know a revitalised force will be there alongside us in our neighbourhoods and homes – giving us confidence and keeping us safe.