Police Now welcomes Peter Freedman as its new Chair of the Board of Trustees, as the organisation enters its second decade of transformation.
He succeeds Sir Ian Powell, who retires after successfully guiding the organisation through its first ten years of impact; helping Police Now pioneer specialist entry pathways into policing, recruit the best, brightest and most diverse into this key public service, and improve frontline leadership.
Peter takes on the role at an exciting time for policing; the government having recently set out major reforms to the service and renewed its commitment to bring outstanding individuals into neighbourhood policing roles.
He will navigate this complex landscape alongside Police Now’s Board, which brings together diverse leaders to drive transformation in policing – including 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 Commissioners Louisa Rolfe OBE and Helen Ball QPM; and serving Police Now officers.
Peter Freedman said: “I’m thrilled to be joining an organisation that has achieved so much for policing over the last ten years and whose mission, it seems to me, has never been more relevant for UK policing. I’m very much looking forward to working with the Board and staff of Police Now to help further build its reputation and impact.”
With a passion for scaling social change, Peter brings years of Board and governance experience across private, public and social sectors.
He’s the co-Chair of Avaaz, a global campaigning movement with over 60 million members, and the Chair of Spring Impact, which supports organisations to maximise their social impact. He’s also the Treasurer of Anti-Slavery International and interim Chair of the Board of Bite Back – a youth-led movement which campaigns for healthier food systems.
Previously, as a senior partner for over 25 years at McKinsey & Company, he advised on strategy, change management, and capability building. As the CEO of the Consumer Goods Forum, he launched global collaborative initiatives to address industry-wide challenges such as human rights abuses, deforestation, and plastic waste.
Kurtis Christoforides, Police Now’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “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 exciting and extensive 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 rightly deserve.”
Police Now’s Decade of Transformation campaign highlighted the significant value its officers bring to communities across England and Wales. The organisation generates £13.77 in societal return for every £1 invested and its officers contribute an average of 400 additional community hours during their two-year training compared to other entry routes. Having recruited over 3,400 officers and partnered with 37 forces to deliver its programme, this impact is significant for policing and the public it serves.
With Peter’s leadership, Police Now will build on this progress and help shape a policing future that is more representative, trusted, and delivers lasting change.
