Police Reform and Community Safety – an over view of police reforms

Mark Norris,

Senior Adviser,

Local Government Association

29/01/2013 www.local.gov.uk

What the presentation will cover

• Role of Police and Crime Commissioners

• Scrutiny of PCCs

• Links with community safety partnerships

Background to Police Reforms

• Lack of public confidence in the police and criminal justice system;

• Need to reconnect the public with the police;

• Replacing bureaucratic accountability with democratic accountability

Police and Crime Commissioners

• Elected by supplementary vote for a four year term on 15th Nov 2012.

• The PCCs’ role is to: – Secure an efficient and effective police for their

area;– Appoint the chief constable, hold them to account

for running the force, and if necessary dismiss them;

– Set the police and crime objectives for their area through a 5 year Police and Crime Plan;

– Set the force budget and determine the precept;

PCCs continued

– Contribute to the national and international policing capabilities set out by the Home Secretary; and

– Have a duty to co-operate with community safety and criminal justice partners.

• The Policing Protocol sets out that PCCs will only have strategic oversight of forces. They will not be able to influence operational matters.

• The PCC must publish an annual report showing progress against their Police and Crime Plan.

• PCCs are under a general duty to consult and engage with the public.

PCCs

Police and Crime Panels

Police and Crime Panels

• Is one for each force area, established by the councils in that area; they are legally a Local Government Committee

• Role is to both review and scrutinise the PCC’s actions and decisions, and also to assist them in the effective exercise of their functions;

• They are not a police authority in another form; and • Have a minimum of 12 members and a maximum of

20.• A minimum of two members have to be independent,

co-opted members.

2. Community Safety Partnerships

Police and Crime Commissioner

Community Safety Partnerships

Duty to have regard to each other’s priorities1

Request merger Power to

approve

4

Power to call CSP chairs to a meeting to discuss force-wide issues

2

Power to request a report3

Police and Crime Panel

Scrutinise

Grant making powers5

Local Government Association contact: Mark Norrismark.norris@local.gov.uk 020 7664 3241