Police chief warns that child protection is not a priority

A senior policeman urged the government to introduce performance
indicator targets for police child protection work to raise its
priority, writes Sally Gillen.

Paul Kernaghan, chief constable of Hampshire Constabulary, told
a 1,000-strong audience of health, police and social work
professionals that the government had told forces to prioritise
child protection, but had offered no incentives.

He said that, by comparison, figures on crimes such as burglary
were gathered by government inspectors. “What gets measured gets
done,” he said.

The event was organised by the Portsmouth, Isle of Wight,
Hampshire and Southampton area child protection committees.