Last month, we were delighted to speak at the launch of our report with the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) on how the police response to modern slavery has changed in the past decade.
Leapwise’s Annie Haswell and Paul Griffiths OBE joined Commissioner Eleanor Lyons and former Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer QPM to discuss the findings in a webinar.
In this short blog, we share the key takeaways from that thought-provoking event.
4 key takeaways
1. Police prioritisation of modern slavery has declined since 2020
The introduction of the Modern Slavery Act in 2015 initially led to growing prioritisation of modern slavery and human trafficking (MSHT) within policing. With a Prime Minister-commissioned MSHT taskforce, annual government reports, numerous dedicated local police units, and an average £3m of Home Office funding per annum, there was undoubtedly improving focus on this topic.
However, since 2020, there have been various signs that prioritisation has declined. Funding has fallen to an average of <£1m per annum, local MSHT teams have been disbanded or downsized, and the national policing lead for MSHT was appointed at assistant chief level (rather than chief constable.) This is a concerning trend that needs to be reversed.
2. Police understanding of MSHT has improved, but confidence in this remains low
When Leapwise spoke to modern slavery leads, we found that 80% felt that police understanding of MSHT has improved over the last five years. In the context of declining prioritisation, this is a counterintuitive (but positive) finding.
However, when we asked about current understanding, we found a more cautious picture. Only 22% of MS leads felt that MSHT is widely understood in the police, and more alarmingly, only 9% of the frontline felt their fellow colleagues understood it. Given that 1 in 5 of the latter had reported having received no MSHT training at all, there’s clearly a need for further efforts here.
3. MSHT investigations are down while prosecution outcomes are stagnating
When it comes to police and Crown Prosecution Service action in response to modern slavery, there’s a worrying trend. MSHT offences reported to police forces have risen since 2015, but enforcement action hasn’t kept pace.
In fact, since 2022, live police operations focused on this crime type have fallen by 18%. Prosecution rates have not substantially improved since the Modern Slavery Act was brought in in 2015 and we identified patterns of undercharging, partly linked to poor join-up between CPS and policing when tackling these often complex cases.
4. A new national strategy is needed to help drive system-wide improvements
Across the panel, there was strong support for a key recommendation set out in the report: a new, Home Office-led national strategy on MSHT, including proper funding, clear oversight, and a distinct set of priorities that can be felt in practical changes at the local level.
As noted in the project report, the period following 2015 showed how effective national leadership can be. With a Home Secretary (and later Prime Minister) who really championed the agenda in Theresa May, key foundations for success like the Modern Slavery Act were brought into place. The next step, the panel argued, is to grab hold of that momentum again and renew the fight against MSHT.
“We must stop asking our frontline officers to fight modern slavery and protect the public with one hand tied behind their backs.”
Eleanor Lyons, Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner
Want to learn more?
To get even more insights into modern slavery, you can read the project report on the IASC website now.
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