UK Inspectors Warn Police and Fire Services: Treat Cybersecurity as a Leadership Priority

An independent assessment has warned that the cyber threat facing UK police forces and fire and rescue services is growing rapidly and calls for a more urgent response. The report, Cybersecurity in Police Forces and Fire and Rescue Services, comes from His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and was published on October 27.

The findings draw on a three-phase inspection carried out between January and May 2026. It involved dozens of interviews, "reality testing" and a review of more than 260 police and fire and rescue service documents. The inspectorate noted gradual improvements, but said many forces and services still need to redouble their efforts. It made 13 recommendations to strengthen their cybersecurity posture and highlighted multiple areas of weakness.

Inspector Michelle Skeer said cybersecurity should be seen as a core organisational priority and not only a technical risk. She argued that leaders need to prioritise and invest in their arrangements so they can prevent, detect, respond to and recover from attacks. She also said police reform and local government reorganisation could offer chances to improve and better coordinate the approach, and that these opportunities cannot be missed. In her words, protecting systems and data is essential to protecting the public.

This article covers only the opening of the report coverage, so the detail of the specific weaknesses is not included here.