A review of the role of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) will help give the public a greater say over-policing, the Home Secretary announced today
PCCs are directly elected to be the voice of the people and deliver an effective and efficient police force in their area. They are responsible for the budget and performance of their force, including cutting crime.
The review delivers on the manifesto commitment to strengthen and expand the role of PCCs. The public wants to see a reduction in crime and PCCs are elected to deliver on the people’s priorities.
Measures to be considered in the review include:
Eight years on from their introduction in 2012, it is right that we look at ways to ensure the public can better hold PCCs to account for bringing crime down and protecting citizens in their area.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said:
Minister for Crime and Policing Kit Malthouse said:
The review will take place in two parts. The first stage, to be conducted over the summer, will look at raising standards and improving accountability so that all members of the public are getting a good service from their PCCs.
It will also consider ways to strengthen the accountability of fire and rescue services in line with the Government’s long-term ambitions on fire governance reform.
The review’s second stage will take place following the PCC elections in May 2021 and will focus on longer-term reform. This will include looking at what extra powers PCCs need to better fight crime in their areas.
Longer-term plans, including increasing the number of mayors with responsibility for policing, will be detailed in the Local Recovery and Devolution White Paper, which we intend to publish in the autumn.
The review will not consider scrapping the PCC model nor will it review the 43 police force model.
The last PCC elections took place in May 2016. Every police force in England and Wales is represented by a PCC, except in Greater Manchester and London, where the Mayors and City of London Corporation are responsible for police and crime.
The Policing and Crime Act 2017 enabled PCCs to take on responsibility for governance of their local fire service. There are currently four Police, Fire, and Crime Commissioners (PFCCs) in England and Wales.