By Richard Johnstone | 5 May 2014
MPs have today called for the scrutiny of police and crime commissioners to be reformed after warning that some had fallen well short of public expectations since being elected.
In its Police and crime commissioners: progress to date report, the home affairs select committee said it was too early to say whether the introduction of PCCs had been a success.
However, given what it called difficulties in some of the roles to date, the concept of commissioners should be judged to be ‘on probation’, the report stated.
Committee chair Keith Vaz said changes must now be made to ensure the concept does not put at risk public trust and engagement in the police.
In particular, there was a need to enable greater scrutiny of any commissioner’s decision to remove a chief constable by police and crime panels, which were established to monitor the office. He also called for deputies to be elected on a ‘joint ticket’ with PCCs.
‘The hiring of deputies and the decision to remove chief constables are critical decisions for local communities and it is vital that the amount of the scrutiny applied to commissioners by police and crime panels increases,’ he said.
‘Panels’ powers must be strengthened and extended to ensure that any decision to remove a chief constable is the right one for the public. Only this will provide full public confidence.
‘Deputies should not be cronies that are given their job on the basis of nepotism. By electing them on the same ticket we ensure that the public will be able to have their say on someone who often acts with the powers of the commissioner.’
Specific changes to the law should make clear the grounds on which a chief constable may be suspended or removed, MPs added.
Police and crime panels must be able to scrutinise the removal, resignation or retirement of a chief constable where this has been instigated by the commissioner, the report stated. They should also have the power of veto over the appointment of a deputy, if they have not stood for election alongside the commissioner.
