The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner system in the UK is not fit for purpose and should be reviewed and reformed.
The review should be with a view to placing metrics on the largely unaccountable role of a PFCC, or possibly changing the system back to the Police Authority system.
As a role they seem to have three masters, the general public, the emergency service, and their own political party. This creates a split allegiance that doesn’t fully satisfy what the public looks for from a PFCC, and for the emergency service, the PFCC’s office lack sufficient understanding of them to either support or challenge them to provide a better service level.
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Positions such as these should be apolitical, they should be working for the benefit of all members of the community without fear or favour, which they may not if they have a strong political allegiance.
Firmly disagree with this take. No institution should be apolitical or outside of political oversight. That is how we get to the mess this country is in now with all the quangos and civil servants calling the shots. The PCCs represent the political accountability of the police force.
I would have indirect election, with the P(F)CC directly appointed by the chair of the local council and make them answerable to the council.
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I think the scope of the role is confusing and needs to be much better defined. The other factor is the HMICFRS needs to have greater powers to make forces undertake change. They are the ones that sit on the quality of delivery.
But what I have seen with PFCC/ HMICFRS is that the PFCC acts more like a PR front to the police, are very cosy with the chief constables, and support all government initiatives (from their own parties) eg precept increases.
Bit likewise the public are very disengaged from the them, most couldn’t name their PFCC.
The Police Service comes under the remit of the Home Office, the only political oversight should be the Home Secretary.
The PCC position has been an expensive disaster since it’s inception. We should return to local Police Authorities who know what is going on and represent the populous not the Government.
This is why we now have two tier Policing, the Police are directed by their Political Masters, which isn’t always what the Electorate expect nor want.
The Police Service was always expected to act without fear or favour, now it acts with fear, and the only favour being to the Government, something Officers with principle won’t accept, and is the reason for the flood of Leavers.
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I’m curious as to how true that is. I could certainly see that being an accurate statement, but I can’t help but feel like the police would be like this even without PCCs. Like, do we not have two-tier policing in Tory-run police forces?
To me, my instinct is that the only difference is that their political masters are closer, and the problem comes from them going after low-hanging fruit and being worried about being called racist.
