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Statement from APCC Chair, Emily Spurrell, on plans for police reform:

“We welcome the commitment in the White Paper to focus on protecting local communities and neighbourhood policing, and support the introduction of a National Police Service to enable consistency and drive performance.

“We are also pleased that the government has listened to us and highlighted the need to deliver a strong system of police governance and accountability.

“However, policing must be rooted in the local communities it serves, and this planned structure will place unprecedented power in the hands of just two people at the centre – the Home Secretary and the Commissioner of the new National Police Service. This concentration of policing power in England and Wales is constitutionally alien and brings enormous risks. It must be balanced by robust scrutiny and oversight, involving both local operational leaders and those who are the public’s voice in policing – Deputy Mayors and the successor to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs).

“There is also a risk that the National Police Service could stifle local innovation and restrict the ability of local communities to shape how policing affects their lives, and large regional forces risk weakening local responsiveness and accountability, while introducing unnecessary complexity and cost.

“We also urgently need confirmation that vital local services currently delivered by PCCs and Deputy Mayors will be protected. Services such as victim support, crime prevention and offender management are all critical to delivering the government’ s Safer Streets mission.

“We will continue to work with ministers to ensure the voices of the public and victims remain central to the detailed work ahead.”

Note

Emily Spurrell is Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside