Reshaping policing for the public – APCC Statement
A discussion paper, published today (25 June 2015), has been welcomed by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC).
‘Reshaping policing for the public’ has been produced by a national Advisory Group set up to debate the future of policing in a time of austerity and to meet new and emerging harms. The Advisory Group membership includes senior police officers, the Police Federation, Unison and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HIMC). Police and Crime Commissioners were represented by Paddy Tipping, the PCC for Nottinghamshire
The report makes a number of challenging suggestions on how the police service could be structured and funded in the future. PCCs are determined to play a key role in this far reaching debate, particularly in relation to the impact of any change on local communities and local policing.
Chair of the APCC, Nick Alston, said today: “PCCs welcome this opportunity for a fresh look at what the police service does, how it does it, and the importance of partnership working.
“Society is changing continuously and our police forces must respond to ever changing demand. Policing is now about much more than enforcement. Whilst crime has decreased significantly in recent years, policing will have to cope with new demands and new understanding of the harms in society.
“It is clear that while there are a number of areas of broad agreement, individual PCCs will naturally make their own judgements about the suggestions in the report and their impact on the specific needs in their force area.
“Elected and democratically accountable Police and Crime Commissioners must continue to be at the heart of the debate about the future of policing.”
Over the last three years, PCCs have worked with forces and other local partners to protect and where possible improve the quality of services at a time when the money available has been reducing.
Continuing, Nick Alston commented: “We are fully aware that these reductions in funding will continue over the next few years and resources must be used effectively and very efficiently. It will however remain essential to plan for the future including building a workforce which is properly trained in the new skills required for policing and fully supported by modern technology.
“A fundamental part of our role will be to ensure local communities’ views are strongly represented as part of the wider and more detailed debate that this report will initiate. We must also ensure the debate takes account of wider changes to the delivery of public services.
“This new report will inform and support the wider and urgent debate about the future shape and governance of policing.”
Ends
Media enquiries for the APCC: Simon Efford – 07703 124175
Editor Notes:
The Advisory Group came together in late 2014 in response to HMIC’s report, Policing in Austerity: Meeting the Challenge.
In that report, HMIC concluded that continuing to administer substantial cost reductions in policing in the same way as over the preceding four years was not an option and that, if forces were to maintain the service they provide to the public, then reform was required in the way the police service was organised and funded. The report went on to recommend that there should be a national debate on these issues.
In the past six months, the Advisory Group has supported a broad and inclusive debate, listening to as many voices as possible from those with an interest in policing as well as consulting the public through polling and focus groups.
Membership of the Advisory Group
- Paddy Tipping – Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire
- Alex Marshall – Chief Executive of the College of Policing
- Steve Finnigan – Chief Constable of Lancashire Constabulary
- Francis Habgood – Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police
- Nigel Brook – Assistant Chief Officer, West Yorkshire Police
- Zoë Billingham – HM Inspector of Constabulary
- Irene Curtis and Gavin Thomas – President and Vice-President of the Police Superintendents’ Association
- Steve White – Chair of the Police Federation
- Ben Priestley – National Officer, UNISON
- Sir Peter Fahy (Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police)
- Neil Rhodes (Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Police)
- Sara Thornton (Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC)) has also been involved in the preparation of the paper.