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Police Now has appointed Peter Freedman as its new Chair of the Board of Trustees, as the organisation marks ten years of work to change how officers are recruited and developed.
He succeeds Sir Ian Powell, who steps down after guiding Police Now through its first decade. During that time, the charity established specialist entry routes into policing, focused on attracting high-calibre and diverse candidates, and sought to strengthen frontline leadership.
Freedman takes on the role at a pivotal moment for policing, with the government setting out plans for reform and renewing its focus on neighbourhood policing.
He will work alongside a board that includes Lord Simon Woolley, Principal of Homerton College, Cambridge and founder of Operation Black Vote; Treasury Permanent Secretary James Bowler CB; Government Chief People Officer Caitlin Kinsella; PwC partner Victoria Townsend; former Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe OBE; and serving Police Now officers.
“I’m thrilled to be joining an organisation that has achieved so much for policing over the last ten years and whose mission has never been more relevant for UK policing. I’m looking forward to working with the Board and staff of Police Now to help further build its reputation and impact.”
Peter Freedman, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Police Now.
He brings board-level and governance experience across the private, public and social sectors. He is co-chair of Avaaz, a global campaigning movement with more than 60 million members, chair of Spring Impact, and treasurer of Anti-Slavery International. He also serves as interim chair of Bite Back, a youth-led movement campaigning for healthier food systems.
Earlier in his career, Freedman spent more than 25 years as a senior partner at McKinsey & Company, advising on strategy, organisational change and capability building. As chief executive of the Consumer Goods Forum, he led collaborative global initiatives addressing human rights abuses, deforestation and plastic waste.
Kurtis Christoforides, Chief Executive of Police Now, said the organisation remains focused on developing leaders who can make a difference in communities.
“Police Now is built on the belief that the right people, equipped with the right skills and leadership, and placed into the right positions, can help transform policing, our public institutions and our communities for the better. Supported by Peter’s experience, we will continue our work to develop policing leaders and push for the innovation, culture change and community impact that policing and the public deserve.”
Police Now says its Decade of Transformation campaign demonstrated the value of its programmes across England and Wales. The organisation reports a £13.77 societal return for every £1 invested, with its officers contributing an average of 400 additional community hours during their two-year training compared with other entry routes.
Since launching, Police Now has recruited more than 3,400 officers and partnered with 37 forces. The organisation says it aims to build on that work under Freedman’s leadership, with a continued focus on representation, trust and long-term impact in communities.
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