Role of PCC

Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are elected officials, responsible for the totality of policing in their force area.  They act as a visible local leader in the fight against crime, providing the link between the police and communities and working to turn policing and crime reduction  strategies into effective action.

PCCs are expected to adhere to the Seven Principles of Public Life, as determined and published by the Nolan Committee – the ‘Nolan Principles’. Each PCC publishes their own Code of Conduct, but the APCC has drawn up an ethical framework, including a template Code for PCCs to adopt if they wish.

In the mayoralties of London, Greater Manchester, York and North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire, PCC functions are undertaken by deputy mayors, and by the mayor in South Yorkshire.

Key responsibilities of a Police and Crime Commissioner:

• Community needs and relationships – ensuring community needs are met effectively, improving local relationships by building confidence and restoring trust
• Partnerships – collaborating with agencies at local and national levels to ensure a unified approach to preventing and reducing crime
• Police and Crime Plans – setting police and crime objectives for their area
• Budget setting – setting the force budget and determining  its regulation
• Contributing to national and international policing capabilities  –  as set out by the Home Secretary
• Community safety and criminal justice – coordinating with community safety and criminal justice partners to align local priorities
• Appointing the chief constable – holding them to account for running the force, and if necessary, dismissing them

Additional responsibilities

• Complaint functions –  PCCs have taken on a stronger role in the police complaints system, with three different levels of complaints oversight
• Fire governance – PCCs can be involved with their local fire and rescue authority, or submit a business case to the Home Secretary to take on governance of fire and rescue services, to become police, fire and crime commissioners (PFCCs)
• Commissioning services – PCCs can commission a range of services and schemes including, victims services, reducing reoffending, youth diversion schemes, and drugs and alcohol services

PCC Code of Conduct

PCCs are expected to adhere to the ‘Nolan Principles‘. Each PCC publishes their own Code of Conduct and the APCC has drawn up an ethical framework, which was led and developed by PCCs and includes a template Code for PCCs to adopt if they wish.

Role of the Office for the PCC (OPCC):

The offices of PCCs (OPCCs) vary in terms of size, structure and configuration, reflecting the priorities of individual PCCs elected on different local mandates. 

The role of the OPCC is to support the statutory functions of a PCC, with a key focus on supporting delivery against the local Police and Crime Plan. They have responsibility for ensuring the effective implementation of the PCC’s strategy and effective use of the PCC’s resources, compliance with the full range of statutory duties and responsibilities, and the setting and maintenance of high standards of conduct in accordance with the Nolan principles. 

Each PCC can set up their OPCC according to local and regional requirements. PCCs with additional functions and responsibilities (for example, PFCCs or Violence Reduction Units) may have additional staff members that specialise in these areas. By law, all PCCs must employ a Chief Executive/Monitoring Officer (CEO) and a Chief Finance Officer.

Chief Finance Officer – manages the financial responsibilities and ensures efficient use of resources. Police estates, or Violence Reduction Units), their teams may include additional staff members that specialise in these areas. Each PCC can set up their office structure according to local and regional requirements.

Chief Executive (CEO) – supports and advises the PCC, ensuring the effective implementation of the PCC’s strategy, compliance with statutory duties, and maintenance of high standards of conduct. The CEO is also the ‘Head of Paid Service’ whose role is to determine how much resource is necessary and how many staff are required, in order to manage and deliver the PCC’s priorities.