Vera Baird QC new Chair of APCC
Vera Baird QC, Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Northumbria, elected the first woman Chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC).
Labour PCC Baird, first elected as PCC in 2012 and with an increased majority in 2016, takes over from outgoing Chair Martin Surl, PCC for Gloucestershire.
Baird brings considerable experience to the position, having been the Labour MP for Redcar from 2001 to 2010 and Solicitor General for England and Wales from 2007 to 2010, following 25 years as a barrister. She took silk in 2000 and is also Chair of the APCC Supporting Victims and Reducing Harm policy working group.
Upon being elected by the APCC Board, she said;
“I am delighted to have been elected the new Chair of the APCC. This is an important time for the Association, as elected Police and Crime Commissioners ensure there is strong governance over the ongoing police reform work, and continue to keep our communities safe.”
“I’d like to thank Martin Surl for his hard work as Chair, particularly in helping to establish and cement the Police Reform and Transformation Board, which is driving the police reform agenda.”
“I will continue to build and promote the profile of the APCC, by projecting clear and coherent messaging to the Government and wider stakeholders, as well as representing the interests of all PCCs. I also look forward to working with partners across the policing and criminal justice landscape.”
ENDS