Bedfordshire’s police and crime commissioner (PCC), John Tizard (Labour), has declined to directly address renewed criticism of the county’s policing performance.
His office instead referred the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) to previously published documents – rather than responding to specific allegations raised in a video by community group Luton Community Watch Champions.
The video highlights the group’s concerns about neighbourhood policing, including claims that the force has failed to deliver a consistent and visible local policing presence.
It also challenges the PCC’s support for senior officers.
“It is indefensible for PCC John Tizard to commend failure and assert that residents have been well served,” the video states.
When approached for comment by the LDRS, commissioner Tizard’s spokesperson did not respond to the video’s content referring to his term in office.
Instead, they pointed to a press release published on 10 April and the agenda for a Police and Crime Panel meeting held on 1 April.
While those documents outline broad strategies – including £1.8 million in funding for additional neighbourhood officers and police community support officers (PCSOs) – they do not directly address the claims raised in the video.
In a campaign statement in April 2024 the PCC, who was then a candidate, said: “I really do believe the accountability, transparency and information both on the performance of the PCC and the police is absolutely a prime duty of a PCC.”
The PCC has previously defended his oversight record – including publishing minutes of governance meetings and one-to-one sessions with the Chief Constable.
The OPCC has also recently reduced the amount of information routinely published on its website.
Bedfordshire Police was also approached for comment, but referred the LDRS to the PCC’s office.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
