On 13 November, the Home Secretary announced that the role of elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) will cease to exist from May 2028, and that there will be new governance arrangements for policing.
This has caused me to reflect on the role of the police and governance, and the need for democratic accountability.
PCCs were introduced in 2012 by the then Coalition government to replace police authorities.
This meant that one individual was directly elected across a police service area – in our case, the whole of Bedfordshire. This individual took over from a committee comprising councillors and magistrates.
There were good arguments for this reform, though many considered the new arrangement flawed, not least because of the power and responsibility it placed in one individual.
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Over the last thirteen years, PCCs have strengthened the governance of holding Chief Constables to account, and introduced clarity for the public on who to hold to account for police performance, deciding police strategy, and setting the police budget and, consequently, the policing element of council tax.
PCCs have no powers in respect of operational policing. Whilst they can appoint and, when the circumstances require, dismiss a chief constable, they cannot direct a police officer.
The role is to be the voice of the public to the police and to ensure that the police service is effective and efficient.
PCCs have wider roles to coordinate criminal justice services and, in the case of Bedfordshire, chair the local Criminal Justice Board. They have the power and democratic legitimacy to convene other public services.
Strong relations
As a PCC over the last eighteen months, I have built strong relations with the political and executive leaders of Bedfordshire’s three unitary authorities and the local NHS leaders, as well as with a range of stakeholders.
I have focused on securing system-wide approaches to address critical issues, including preventing crime, addressing its causes, and improving the experience of crime victims.
These are issues that cannot be addressed by any single agency, including the police. These relations will provide a strong foundation for the next iteration of policing governance.
Whatever my personal view of the decision, I accept that we are moving to a new governance arrangement. This will coincide with the end of my period of office.
On a personal level, I knew that my tenure of office would end in May 2028 at the end of my four-year stint. I may or may not have chosen to have sought re-election, and more significantly, I may or may not have been re-elected.
As a politician, I am ready to take the hit, but my concerns are for the needs of the county, my office team, who are public servants on long-term contracts, and most importantly, the governance of policing and the wider criminal justice system.
This is a monthly guest column provided by
elected Police and Crime Commissioner, John Tizard (Labour).
It is published unedited and does
not reflect the views of the Bedford Independent.
