The City of London Police Authority Board met on Wednesday 16 September 2026 to discuss a range of operational and strategic matters. Key discussions included the ongoing work to address recommendations from His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), updates on local policing activities, and the strategic use of technology.

HMICFRS Activities Update

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the quarterly update on HMICFRS activities. The Board received information on the City of London Police's (CoLP) progress in addressing areas for improvement identified in previous inspections, as well as their readiness for the upcoming PEEL 2025-27 inspection programme. Strategic reviews and readiness assessments are being conducted against the PEEL Assessment Framework to identify strengths and areas for development. The force is also monitoring thematic inspections, including those on Integrity, National Child Protection, and Serious and Organised Crime, and reviewing published HMICFRS reports for learning and benchmarking.

Specific attention was given to the PEEL 2025/27 Fraud inspection readiness, with a Phase 2 Fraud Readiness Assessment indicating positive progress. The Board was informed that CoLP continues to progress the PEEL 2023-25 Areas for Improvement (AFIs), with reality testing activity undertaken for two AFIs.

During the discussion on HMICFRS activities, members raised several points:

• Andrew Lentin inquired about the timing of testing for areas marked as not yet tested within the HMICFRS update.
• Deputy Chair Helen Fentimen OBE JP sought clarification on the meaning of outcome 18 in relation to AFI 06, and requested timelines for testing and a clearer indication of areas of concern or difficulty. She also highlighted the importance of inspectors listening to the Board's discussions.
• The Deputy Commissioner explained that testing is ongoing and managed through internal Service Improvement Boards. Regarding outcome 18, it refers to Investigation complete – no suspect identified. The Deputy Commissioner also noted that the force is preparing for a new question set for future inspections and that while crime data integrity is no longer a standalone scoring area, it will still be assessed within the investigation strand.
• Concerns were raised about the potential for AI to assist in reviewing stop and search records, with the Deputy Commissioner suggesting a broader approach to implementing AI across the organisation rather than piecemeal. The importance of a human on top of the loop was emphasised by Andrew Lentin.
• The Deputy Commissioner confirmed that a position paper on the force's strengths and pressures would be brought to the next Police Authority Board meeting.

Commissioner's Update

The Commissioner provided updates on local operations and security, as well as national lead force activities.

Local Operations and Security:

• A successful Family Fun Day was held on 25 July, attended by over 600 staff, officers, and their families.
• The Safer City Streets campaign continued with proactive activity, including Operation Reframe targeting sexual offending and victim support, and a Neighbourhood Policing Day of Action addressing acquisitive crime and violence against women and girls.
• Officers responded to a serious incident near Aldgate High Street, where swift action in administering a chest seal is believed to have saved a life.
• Operation Makesafe achieved significant safeguarding outcomes through engagement with the hospitality sector, increasing uptake of child exploitation awareness training.
• The City Belonging Community Engagement initiative was launched on 17 July, promoting inclusion and a sense of belonging, with positive feedback on officer professionalism and public confidence.
• The City of London Police has secured £96,000 in external funding to enhance Project Servator deployments, focusing on protective security for vulnerable locations, particularly those associated with the Jewish community.

National Lead Force Activities:

• Preparations were underway for a roundtable event on 3 September to launch and promote the Report Fraud Annual Assessment, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss fraud and cyber crime threats.
• A Victims of Fraud roundtable was held in July, leading to a co-written insights paper.
• The Home Office is expected to publish its new Cyber Strategy in November, which may have significant implications for future funding, priorities, and workforce planning.
• A new national training programme, Fraud and Cyber Essentials, was launched on 24 June to improve frontline officers' response to cyber crime and fraud.
• Operational highlights included continued stability in Report Fraud operations, positive feedback on Operation Recall with banks, and the expansion of Santander onboarding.
• Details were provided on Op Lorus, a Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit investigation resulting in a significant confiscation order.
• A conviction was secured for fraudulent pet insurance claims.
• Two men were sentenced for a cyber attack on Transport for London (TfL).
• The Online Crime Centre (OCC) is developing Signal Sharing to share bad actor data with industry partners.
• Operation Machinize, targeting money laundering through cash-intensive businesses, is being supported.
• Further arrests were made in connection with a Domestic Corruption Unit investigation into allegations of fraud and bribery at the Police Federation of England and Wales.

Policy and Resources Committee Resolution

The Board noted a resolution from the Policy and Resources Committee regarding empowering sub-committees to make decisions without unnecessary recourse to the Grand Committee, aiming to balance due diligence with efficiency. The Chair indicated that the Police Authority Board had already considered this as part of its governance review.

Other Matters

• Co-opted Appointments: No nominations were received for co-opted appointments from the Court of Common Council to Police Authority Board subcommittees, and these vacancies will be re-advertised.
• Outstanding References: Outstanding references were noted for information.
• Subcommittee Minutes: Recent minutes from the Professionalism and Trust Committee, Resource and Estates Committee, Local Policing Committee, and Economic Security and Cyber Crime Committee were received for information.
• Chair's Public Update: The Chair's public update was noted, highlighting the upcoming City of London Police Annual Report, engagement on Police Reform, attendance at party conferences, the updated multi-agency strategy for reducing serious violence, the launch of the Hotel Safety Toolkit, and preparations for 999 Day and the annual Police Authority Board Dinner.
• Questions on Matters Relating to the Work of the Board: Andrew Lentin raised a concern about members using AI to review board papers, highlighting potential data security risks. The Town Clerk confirmed that IT guidance on approved platforms and the use of Microsoft Copilot would be issued imminently.