APACE PATS Seminar 6 th October 2010 Police Reform Update Stephen Rimmer Director General Crime and Policing Group

Ministerial Direction  “ The Government’s proposed policing reforms…will deliver a more responsive and efficient police service, less encumbered by bureaucracy, more accountable to the public, and, most importantly, better equipped to fight crime.”  “Central to those reforms is the idea that we want to get rid of the inefficient and ineffective processes of bureaucratic accountability where power rests with Whitehall civil servants and replace it with direct democratic accountability with power…in the hands of the people” Home Secretary, Opposition day debate on crime and policing (8 September 2010)  “The new era demands wise spending and reform. So later this year we will introduce legislation for an overhaul of policing…”  “We will replace weak and invisible police authorities with directly elected police and crime commissioners to hold the 43 forces in England and Wales to account. …the new commissioners will have a powerful local mandate to set strategic priorities, driving the fight against crime and antisocial behaviour.” Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice, Sunday Times (3 October 2010)

The police are accountable to Whitehall and not the public Only 7% of the public knew to go to their police authority if they had a problem with policing. (Cabinet Office, 2007) Police professionals are disempowered Last year 52 guidance documents were issued, a further 60 planned, average length 100 pages, 4,000 new commitments in total. The police are not visible or available Due to bureaucracy and prescription, only 11% of police officers are available to the public at any one time. (HMIC, 2010) There will be less resources Spending on police has increased by 24% in real terms since 2000/01. This cannot continue: CSR will require very substantial savings/the public will continue to demand good quality policing The challenge

Policy Overview A new approach Policing in the 21st Century: Reconnecting Police and the People Replacing ‘bureaucratic accountability’ in policing with ‘democratic accountability’  Police and Crime Commissioners A new national framework for efficient and effective policing  Introduction of National Crime Agency  Review of Remuneration and Conditions of service Stripping away unnecessary prescription and bureaucracy  Common sense approach to health and safety (Lord Young review)  Removing regulation around Community Safety Partnerships  Removing Government targets and centralised performance management  Promoting greater professional judgement Enabling and encouraging people to get involved  Crime mapping  Neighbourhood Watch, community crime fighters, special constables, street patrols, ‘101’, restorative justice, participatory budgeting  Nick Herbert is leading work on additional strengthening of community links through police reserve officers and more emphasis on specials and volunteers 2

Policy Overview: Democratic Accountability Responsible for:  Representing the community and identifying their needs  Setting force priorities that reflect those needs (policing plan)  Holding the Chief Constable to account for achieving those priorities  Setting force budget and precept  Appointing – and where necessary, removing - the Chief Constable Strict checks and balances:  The ballot box  Police and Crime Panels: local Government and independent scrutiny  Neighbourhood beat meetings  Transparency of information  HMIC to ‘shine a light’ on performance  National retained powers  Complaints and recall – role for IPCC Police and Crime Commissioners  First Police and Crime Commissioners to be elected in May 2012 and will replace police authorities  At force level, responsible for the whole of the force activity with a duty to collaborate and work with community safety and Criminal Justice agencies  Elected for four years, maximum two terms, preferential voting system favoured 3

Some Key Issues ♦Managing the transition / Pace of implementation ♦PCCs and PCPs…. ♦Local, collaborative/regional and national ♦Operational capabilities to take cost out and deliver VfM