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Review date: 16/06/2026
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Year of publication: 09/11/2022
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An article in Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice by Simon Cooper, of Essex Law School, examines the new relational accountabilities of Chief Constables, Police, and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and Police and Crime Panels (PCPs) in England and Wales.
Referring to a number of recent reports and reviews, the discussion initially focuses on the effectiveness of these relationships and, in particular, the inefficiency of PCPs. Using new empirical data obtained through interviews with senior stakeholders in policing at regional and national levels, and relevant persons in Government, this research shows PCPs are impotent and ineffective. This article develops current understanding, showing that PCPs may cause a new unforeseen consequence. Namely, the exercise of accountability and the governance of policing may be unusually reactive to the โone-to-oneโ accountability relationship between PCCs and Chief Constables.
This research is all the more important in light of Her Majestyโs Inspector of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services finding in 2021 that there is an โatmosphere of mistrust and fearโ between PCCs and Chief Constables and The Police Foundation reporting โa crisis of confidenceโ, recommending โroot and branch reformโ (Her Majestyโs Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services 2021). Such recommendations are made to strengthen the exercise of accountability and the governance of policing. Specifically, the Home Secretary is encouraged to review the Policing Protocol Order (2011) and issue a Memorandum of Understanding to ensure โeffective, constructive working relationshipsโ are not just a quixotic pursuit but a practical reality that safeguards the governance of policing.
Visit https://academic.oup.com/policing/advance-article/doi/10.1093/police/paac081/6772611.
