Enhancing police accountability in England and Wales: What differences are police and crime commissioners making?

Abstract

n November 2012 a new framework for the governance of police forces across England and Wales was introduced. This took the form of directly-elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC)s“one for each force area”in place of a governance model based on local committees of nominated local councillors and other appointees. Written 18 months later and following a series of interviews with a sample of PCCs, this chapter considers some of the key changes that have been effected under the new framework, particularly in relation to accountability. In this respect, five contrasting, and in some respects conflicting, accountability relationships of PCCs are examined in turn. While recognising the findings come too soon to draw anything more than tentative conclusions about overall impact, the chapter presents evidence which suggests that police governance in England and Wales is at least becoming more visible, more consultative and, by implication, more publicly accountable.