Police Reform in England and Wales: A new dimension in accountability and service delivery in the 21st century EPIC Conference University of Uppsala, Sweden June 2012 Barry Loveday, Portsmouth University

Background The Conservative Party in opposition have planned a comprehensive reform programme for the police ‘Policing for the People’ 2007; It encompasses direct election of commissioners to replace police authorities; Major reform of police pay and conditions; Recognition of police failure to use resources effectively.

New Labour Prior to 2010 new labour was committed to reform – in 2005 amalgamations but after 2006 to internal reform and direct election to police authorities; New Labour seeks to take on the law and order mantle; Blair admits to Leveson that red tops have real influence on policy- making. Police spending goes up.

The problem Growing recognition that increased spending on the police does not improve effectiveness; No audit of increases in police numbers; HAC recognises no link between investment in police and the crime rate; Flanagan and Blair [ex MPS] state police numbers hard to justify and policing now ‘unaffordable’

Changing relationships Conservative party traditionally one of law + order; Big supporters of the police in the 1980s although Sheehy 1991 sought reform; Now conservative leadership highly critical of successive police failures- as demonstrated by Ian Birrell

Conservative position Governance: police authorities invisible and direct election preferable- based on American experience; Police and Crime Commissioners elected November 2012 –one PCC per police force; No amalgamations of police forces but introduction of National Crime Agency.

PCCs Evidence to date that direct election difficult to introduce – 2012 local referendum on city mayors a failure; Opinion surveys indicate few people aware of the PCC elections; Turn –out at local elections low and this likely to be replicated for PCC election; Turn –out needs local party organisation; Independents don’t have this.

PCCs Most candidates for PCC local councillors – few heavy weights; Most will be drawn from the major political parties; Many will remain councillors after election; Questions raised over calibre of candidates and knowledge base to challenge the polcie.

PCCs Uncertain outcome but government comitted to Governance reform; Relationship between PCC and Chief officer uncertain; Power flow from PCC to Chief or the other way? But primary focus on local concerns and a mandate to require the police to conform to that mandate; Failure could be career ending for chiefs of police-note the evidence from London;

Private sector engagement Along with governance has come a commitment to ‘outsourcing’; This is driven by Minister for the Cabinet Office- aims to engage private sector wherever possible; Proposal that all police back-room functions should be outsourced.

Business Partnering for Police- BPP This proposal NOT highlighted in the run up to the election but can be found in the ‘Policing for the People’ Report 2007; The strategy identified by BPP seeks to engage private sector in all back room + some aspects of delivery of policing; Based on experience of Cleveland police which in 2009 handed over all backroom work to Steria company,

BPP In Cleveland all civilian staff keep existing conditions of service + pay rates –guaranteed for 10 years; Thereafter pay rates as set by Steria for its employees- local pay rates; Savings achieved by entire removal of all warranted officers from back room duties; In Cleveland 200 officers removed [and they wont be back].

BPP Cleveland example may be repeated or maybe not; TUPE arrangements not guaranteed; Civilian staff already the lowest paid could be put on lower local pay rates to retain their jobs; Once privatised expertise lost to warranted officers; Government claim all 20% of cuts can be met by moving officers from the back office to operational work – and they may be right!

Winsor review 2011-12 Interim Report aims to end all special payments and police overtime- plans to buy out overtime payments; Regional pay rates for the police-ending national pay agreements; Introduce initial 5 year contracts and end 30/35 year careers; Retirement of police put back to 60 years.

Winsor Report 2012 Major recommendations: Direct Entry at Superintendent rank- 16 month intensive training for all graduate intake; Power given to the Chief Constable to sack police officers and not just police staff; ‘A Level’ equivalent for all police entrants; Fitness tests; End restricted duties; Greater flexibility on pay.

Overview Police view Winsor as a return to Sheehy Era; Many if not all of the Police Federation’s pay and conditions gains either ended or truncated; Winsor to become the next CHMIC appointed by Home Secretary; Conservative commitment to reform police service unabated and significant reform of pay and conditions of service will be pushed through.

Conclusion Recent police failures highlighted problems within the organisation; Recognition internally that spending on police is unsustainable; But still uncertain if direct entry and creation of an officer class will provide an answer; Independent HMIC role could bring real reform however.