Policing for the Future: What Matters Most

Policing for the Future: What Matters Most

At the 2025 ANZPAA Police Conference, the Commissioners Panel cut to the heart of what will shape policing in the years ahead. Three themes dominated the discussion: strengthening officer wellbeing, confronting recruitment and retention pressures, and rebuilding and sustaining public trust. Together, they form a simple but powerful conclusion - the future of policing rests on people, not technology.

Wellbeing as an Operational Priority

Officer mental health emerged as an urgent priority. Commissioner Grant Stevens (South Australia Police) described the cumulative toll of repeated exposure to trauma — on officers and their families — and argued that policing must shift culturally to normalise early help-seeking. “The single biggest thing we could do to make a real difference is get our people to use the services that we’re making available to them,” he said. Commissioner Mal Lanyon (NSW Police Force) echoed this, emphasising leadership’s role in shaping psychologically safe workplaces where conversations about mental health are expected, not exceptional. Adding an international perspective, Colonel Matthew Packard (Second Vice President, IACP) called for integrated, wraparound support systems that address the full spectrum of wellbeing needs across an officer’s career.

Competing for People in a Changing Workforce

Global competition for talent continues to challenge policing organisations. Commissioner Col Blanch (Western Australia Police Force) stressed the importance of creating workplaces that support officers across long careers. “We just have to make the workplace work for our people and that’s as simple as that,” he noted - a reminder that retention hinges on flexibility, culture and meaningful support.

Commissioner Donna Adams (Tasmania Police) pointed to the value of re-engaging former officers, acknowledging the strong sense of purpose and camaraderie that often brings people back. The discussion recognised that attracting and keeping the right people will require modern workforce models, adaptable leadership and organisations that meet the expectations of today’s labour market.

Trust in Policing

Trust in policing — long understood as central to operational legitimacy — remains both fragile and essential. Commissioner Lanyon reiterated that policing relies on trust and consent, earned daily through professionalism, visibility and respectful engagement.

Colonel Packard emphasised the need for transparency and ongoing dialogue, arguing that communities and police must continuously educate one another to sustain confidence. Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan (South Wales Police) added a caution: “Not everybody’s view of policing is equal… you’ve got to be careful that you don’t over-generalise trust and confidence in policing into one homogenous view.” Understanding the diversity of public experience, he argued, is critical to restoring and maintaining legitimacy.

Despite the pace of technological change, one truth remains: policing begins and ends with people. Its future will be shaped by supported officers, organisations that nurture talent, and communities whose trust is earned every day. In the end, it is the human element — the wellbeing, integrity and skill of the workforce — that will be critical to policing.

This editorial draws directly from the Commissioners’ panel presentation at the ANZPAA Police Conference 2025, comprising of:

• Colonel Matthew Packard, Second Vice President, IACP • Commissioner Donna Adams APM, Tasmania Police
• Commissioner Grant Stevens APM LEM, South Australia Police
• Commissioner Col Blanch APM, Western Australia Police Force
• Commissioner Mal Lanyon APM, New South Wales Police Force
• Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan KPM, South Wales Police

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