Policing in the UK: A Brief Guide

Transcription

1 Policing in the UK: A Brief Guide 1

2 What do the Police do? How do we police? Neighbourhood policing and the Peelian Principles are the heart and soul of the British model. This is the aspect of policing that most people relate to and evidence points to increases in public confidence directly linked to visibility of police officers and staff. Public confidence underpins police legitimacy and has practical benefits. These include gaining intelligence about criminal activity within communities, opportunities for engaging with neighbourhood groups and boosting recruitment of those either wishing to volunteer or join through the Special Constabulary. Peelian Principles 1. The basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder. 2. The ability of the police to perform their duties is dependent upon public approval of police actions. 3. Police must secure the willing co-operation of the public in voluntary observance of the law to be able to secure and maintain the respect of the public. 4. The degree of co-operation of the public that can be secured diminishes proportionately to the necessity of the use of physical force. 5. Police seek and preserve public favour not by catering to public opinion but by constantly demonstrating absolute impartial service to the law. 6. Police use physical force to the extent necessary to secure observance of the law or to restore order only when the exercise of persuasion, advice and warning is found to be insufficient. 7. Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence. 8. Police should always direct their action strictly towards their functions and never appear to usurp the powers of the judiciary. 9. The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it. Cutting Crime The Office of Constable Every sworn police officer in England and Wales is a Constable regardless of rank. It is from the Office of Constable that each officer derives their powers. The Office of Constable means a police officer has the additional legal powers of arrest and control of the public given to him or her directly by a sworn oath and warrant. These are not delegated powers simply because they have been employed as an officer. Police officers are not employees, but office holders. Each police officer has personal liability for their actions or inaction. The chief officer of the force to which each constable is attached also has a level of corporate responsibility. Home Secretary Theresa May has said that the mission of the police is to cut crime, no more and no less. In a speech to the Police Superintendents Association she expanded on this theme, saying: Cutting crime isn t just about the number of arrests which are made, the number of incidents responded to or the number of successful prosecutions. In fact, I am quite clear that it does mean a range of activity [ ] Let me be clear. Some domestic disputes are crime and all incidents of domestic violence are crime. Early intervention is crime fighting. Preventing crime is part of cutting crime. I think for too long, too many people have seen crime as a strict Home Office definition of recorded crime. When I talk about fighting crime, I do not mean a narrow category of activity. Cutting crime means catching criminals but it also means preventing crime. And preventing crime means intervening early in domestic disputes to prevent escalation, it means supporting the vulnerable person who could become a victim of crime, it means tackling antisocial behaviour, it means providing effective public order policing. 2

3 Organising the police service The term constable dates back almost to the Norman conquest, and acquired the characteristics of a local officer with recognised responsibility for keeping the King s peace over centuries. The modern police service is still founded on this concept of the Office of Constable, subject to the rule of law, independent and impartial, tasked with upholding and enforcing the law. The first modern police force in England may have been the Bow Street Runners, formed with volunteers walking the streets in It was not until 1829 that the Metropolitan Police Act was passed, which began the development of what we know today as the paid police. Over the past 180 years the British Police Service has evolved to be one of the best, if not the finest, police service in the world. The structure of policing within the United Kingdom is complex. There are 44 geographic forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, each led by a Chief Constable who under statute has authority of direction and control of the force. Each Chief Constable is accountable to law, to the Home Secretary for national efficiency and effectiveness, and to local democratic oversight. From November 2012, 41 of the geographic forces will have elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) responsible for discharging local democratic oversight. The two exceptions are City of London Police, and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. In London, the PCC role is undertaken by the Mayor s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC). As well as regionally based police forces, there is also British Transport Police with responsibility for policing the rail network, and specialist police forces such as the Ministry of Defence Police which serves MoD establishments, and the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, which protects nuclear sites. Police Force Boundaries in England, Wales and Northern Ireland 1. Avon & Somerset 2. Bedfordshire 3. Cambridgeshire 4. Cheshire 5. City of London 6. Cleveland 7. Cumbria 8. Derbyshire 9. Devon & Cornwall 10. Dorset 11. Durham 12. Dyfed-Powys 13. Essex 14. Gloucestershire 15. Greater Manchester 16. Gwent 17. Hampshire and Isle of Wight 18. Hertfordshire 19. Humberside 20. Kent 21. Lancashire 22. Leicestershire 23. Lincolnshire 24. Merseyside 25. Metropolitan Police Service 26. Norfolk 27. Northamptonshire 28. Northumbria 29. North Wales 30. North Yorkshire 31. Nottinghamshire 32. South Wales 33. South Yorkshire 34. Staffordshire 35. Suffolk 36. Surrey 37. Sussex 38. Thames Valley 39. Warwickshire 40. West Mercia 41. West Midlands 42. West Yorkshire 43. Wiltshire 44. Police Service of Northern Ireland 3

4 UK Police Service - a complex structure British Transport Police (BTP) is the national police force for the railways providing a policing service to rail operators, their staff and passengers throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Every day it polices over six million passengers and 400,000 tonnes of freight over 10,000 miles of track. Northern Ireland The Police Service of Northern Ireland is overseen through a system of accountability structures including the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Policing Board. The Policing Board takes its powers from the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 and has 19 members in total, including a Chair and a Vice Chair. The work of the Board covers oversight of the PSNI, human rights, community engagement, police and community safety partnerships and police pensions and administration. The job of the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) is to provide constabulary policing on the Defence Estate, to enable the MOD and the Armed Forces to carry out their role with security and confidence. Formed in 1971, the MDP s jurisdiction is defined in the MOD Police Act The Force numbered some 3300 until 2011 when numbers began to reduce as part of the MOD programme to balance its budget. Force strength will stabilise at about 2,500 in MDP uniforms, rank structure, vehicles, Airwave radio communications, equipment etc., are all comparable with other police services - and this allows for close working practices. It operates in five geographic Divisions serving nearly 100 MOD establishments and units throughout the UK. Since being given the role of National Lead Force for fraud investigation in 2008, the City of London Police has continued to develop capacity and capability in this area. Today, the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) Accountability is to the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA), made up of 15 members representing passengers, the rail industry, Scotland, England and Wales, appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport. The BTPA is charged with securing the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force, and unlike the geographic Home Office forces, is also charged with defraying the expenses of the police force to the rail industry. The annual net revenue budget for the force is just over 200 million. The Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) has a very exclusive role, providing protection for civil nuclear licensed sites (e.g. power stations) and safe-guarding nuclear materials, nuclear site operators, policing and nuclear regulators as well as interlinking with Home Office forces. The Energy Act 2004 created the Civil Nuclear Police Authority (CNPA) operates one of the most advanced police analytical systems in the world. In partnership with Action Fraud (the UK s national fraud reporting centre), the bureau has processed over 2.25 million reports of confirmed fraud. Analysis of its data has identified thousands of criminal networks, suspects, and victims of fraud. Its approach to tackling fraud, particularly in respect of serious organised crime and cyber crime, supports the national Strategic Policing Requirement. The Court of Common Council will continue to be defined as the police authority for the City of London Police area in accordance with the provisions of the City of London Police Act 1839 and the Police Act The role of the police authority, however, is broadly similar to the role of the new Police and Crime Commissioners. Additionally the policing family includes the Port of Dover and Port of Liverpool police forces. and set out powers to members of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary. The CNPA operates under the strategic direction of the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC). Members of the CNPA are appointed by the Secretary of State and the organisation is a non-departmental public body. The function of the CNPA is to maintain the efficiency and effectiveness of the CNC. The role of the CNPA is to ensure that the Constabulary meets the policing requirements of primary stakeholders in the nuclear industry. Scotland In Scotland, the eight territorial forces, Scottish Police Services Authority and Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency are currently integrating into a single service. The Police Service for Scotland (PSS) will be the largest police service in the UK after the Metropolitan Police Service, comprising more than 17,000 officers and 6,500 staff serving Scotland s population of more than five million people and a budget of around 1.4bn. The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill 2012 was passed by the Scottish Parliament on 27 June The Chief Constable will be accountable to the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) which was also established by the legislation. From 1 April 2013 the Police Service will be responsible for policing across the whole of Scotland. It will deliver statutory functions at both local and national level and also drive change as the Service delivers improved efficiency and effectiveness while maintaining at least 17,234 officers, and policing performance that has led to a 37 year low crime rate. 4

5 Above the level of individual police forces, there are many regional structures set up to ensure joined up and seamless policing across borders. A leading example is the successful regional structure for policing counter terrorism (referred to later on in this paper). Building on the success of this regional structure the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Cabinet has also recently agreed in principle the creation of regional Protected Persons Units, as part of the existing regional crime arrangements the Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs). The four Police Authorities and police forces in Wales work together to provide communities with a service that is focused on their needs, producing a National Policing Plan for Wales. As well as operating within force boundaries, the Welsh police forces collaborate at regional and national level and this enhances both capacity and capability. The Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) provides a full-regionalised policing service for the motorways of the West Midlands, West Mercia and Staffordshire force areas. Operating from three bases around the region CMPG is made up of 140 police officers and 29 support staff. CMPG is responsible for patrolling the Midlands motorway network stretching south from Cheshire on the M6 to the Welsh borders on the M50. The Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) tackles serious organised crime that affects the UK and its citizens. This includes Class A drugs, people smuggling, human trafficking, major gun crime, fraud, computer crime and money laundering. SOCA officers can have the combined powers of police, customs and immigration officers. They have a substantial range of tools and legislation to target criminals with everything from the ability to recover assets through to Serious Crime Prevention Orders. SOCA works with agencies and officials across the UK and all over the world. In June 2010, the Home Secretary announced the creation of a new National Crime Agency which will become operational in Becoming a police constable Individuals directly approach the Force(s) they are interested in joining for an application form which also seeks responses to competency based questions. If this application is successful (around 60 per cent of applications can fail at this stage) the applicant is invited to attend an assessment centre. The police assessment centre, Police Initial Recruitment Test (PIRT), involves an interview, four interactive exercises, two written exercises and a numerical and verbal reasoning test. It is incorporated into one assessment day to standardise the recruitment process across 43 forces in England and Wales. The next step is the Police Fitness Test which tests overall fitness, dynamic strength and endurance. Health checks are also included in the process and finally background and security checks are undertaken to verify the applicant s identity and background before they are accepted by the Force for training. The minimum entry requirements for police constable: Pass rigorous initial recruitment test Be aged between 18.5 years and 55 years (age limit can vary depending on the force) Be a British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen (whose stay in this country is not subject to restriction) Be of good character Be physically fit Hold a full driving licence (or be in the process of learning to drive). Training for the office of constable All probationary police constables in England and Wales undertake an extensive and professional training programme known as the Initial Police Learning and Development Programme (IPLDP), leading to the Level 3 Diploma in Policing (QCF), during their first two years of service. Individual forces are responsible for the local implementation and delivery of the IPLDP and the emphasis is on local community involvement and a flexible timetable. 5

6 The IPLDP is divided into four training phases, which cover the completion of the diploma. The precise name and length of each phase varies slightly between forces, but the IPLDP curriculum is generally divided as follows: Phase 1: induction. General introduction to the organisation with training in first aid, health and safety, officer safety, ICT, race and diversity, human rights and community safety strategy; Phase 2: Community. Training in crime and disorder reduction and a community placement; Phase 3: Supervised patrol. Workplace practice supported by class-based learning, dealing with simulated incidents and work-based learning under supervised patrol; Phase 4: independent patrol. Combines operational duties with independent and distance learning. Continuing professional development (CPD) and ongoing training are important. Annual performance and development reviews (PDRs) assess and monitor the progress of police officers to ensure that their professional skills are kept up to date and they are abreast of the demands of a constantly changing work environment. Moving through the ranks Rank Structure Constable Many roles can be carried out as a Police Constable and the majority of officers within a force are of this rank. The first rank above Police Constable is that of Sergeant. A Sergeant is the first-line supervisor, often with responsibility for a small team of people consisting of PCs, Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and Police Staff (civilian employees). Sergeant The next rank above Sergeant is Inspector. Officers at Inspector rank are responsible usually for supervising a small group of Sergeants and usually take more of a strategic, rather than operational, role. Inspector Chief Inspector Superintendent Chief Superintendent Assistant Chief Constable Deputy Chief Constable Chief Constable Further promotion up to the rank of Inspector consists of two formal exams, six months apart. The first is a written test and the second is a role-playing exam, designed to test the candidate s ability to resolve problems at the appropriate rank. Once an officer has passed both exams, they are qualified for promotion and forces select from the pool of qualified PCs / Sergeants as and when vacancies arise. This might involve a formal application for a post and sitting a formal interview or board. Police Community Support Officers are members of support staff employed, directed and managed by their Police Force. They will work to complement and support regular police officers, providing a visible and accessible uniformed presence to improve the quality of life in the community and offer greater public reassurance. Beyond the rank of Inspector promotion is generally through application and interview boards, where an individual s abilities and experience are tested against a list of competencies for the rank. Officers achieving the rank of Chief Superintendent can apply to sit the Senior Police National Assessment Centre (PNAC) which is a process to identify those who are capable of being an effective chief officer. Officers who are successful at Senior PNAC will attend the Strategic Command Course (SCC) and then will be eligible to apply for national chief officer roles. 6

7 How is policing funded? Before the arrival of Police and Crime Commissioners, Police Authorities were responsible for police funding. They raise revenue to fund the operation of their police forces by levying a precept on Council Tax Collection Authorities - District Councils and Unitary Authorities - which is added to local people s Council Tax bills. In addition, Police Authorities receive grants from the Home Office which are determined on the basis of the specific needs of their areas. The Home Secretary issues an overall police strategy and Police Authorities are provided with funding broadly to pay for meeting the strategy s objectives. Currently funding is divided into a number of individual categories, including standard spending, capital spending and Special Police Grants and Central Support Services. The Home Office is responsible for police grant funding. Central government police funding will reduce by 20 per cent in real terms by If Police Authorities were to choose to increase precept, part of council tax, at the level forecast by the Office of Budget Responsibility, the Spending Review settlement means that on average police budgets would reduce by 14 per cent in real terms over the next four years. Counter-terrorism specific policing is protected with a smaller percentage cut than overall police funding of 10 per cent in real terms. Behind the scenes Frontline officers and staff would not be able to discharge their duties without the vital input from other support functions in the police service (often categorised as middle/back office). The HMIC Report, Demanding Times, found that just under 40 per cent of the police service was involved in such a role (and there is often overlap). HMIC distinguishes between the visible, the specialists, the middle office and back office. Visible roles being police officers or PCSOs who undertake work that is regularly seen by the public; for instance, patrolling or responding to 999 calls. Her Majesty s Inspectorate of Constabulary defined the police front line as those who are in everyday contact with the public and who directly intervene to keep people safe and enforce the law. However, there are less seen but vital roles conducted by other parts of the service. Specialists can be those roles that may involve direct contact with the public, but whose work is not in general visible to the public. Many officers fall into this category, such as CID. The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is the department that investigates crimes of a more serious nature, which may require specialist skills to ensure more complex or serious crimes are investigated fully. This includes the Drug Squad, Fraud Squad, and the Crime Squad. To be appointed to these sections, you need to be experienced in basic detective work before you would be considered. Middle and back office roles can cover a range of functions. Middle office is often where operational and support functions overlap. These regularly include management and oversight roles requiring decision-making and delegation. Back office comprises those roles that are necessary to the running of organisations as large as a police force. Commonly associated roles can be finance, IT and human resources. 7

8 Police Performance Overview Preventing crime and disorder is the bedrock of the police service s mission and in the past 50 years, the demands to fulfil this mission have grown. We now respond to 4.2 million crimes every year, from low level disorder and anti-social behaviour at one end of the business to serious organised crime, sexual violence and homicides at the other. From April 2011 until March 2012 Police received just under 10 million calls via 999 in England and Wales. At the same time as the number and range of crimes has grown, the breadth of the police service s responsibilities has also widened. We are available 24 hours, 7 days a week and when there are serious concerns about the safety and welfare of someone, even where no crime has been committed, our communities turn to the police for help. The service has risen to the challenge of increased demand and greater responsibilities. Overall crime, as measured by the most comprehensive survey of its kind in the world, the crime survey of England and Wales, shows that it is at its lowest level since the survey began in The survey also finds that confidence in the police increases year on year. A significant part of the policing mission is around increasing public confidence in local policing services, and increasing the satisfaction members of the public have with the service they receive. Home Office Statistical Bulletin: Crime in England and Wales 2010/11 Crime statistics should be taken in tandem with victim surveys which provide the most accurate measure of the public s Trends in recorded crime and BCS, 1981 to 2010/11 experience, which include the considerable number of crimes they do not report. Local recorded crime is mapped online and sources are available to compare force figures and examine trends. Crime rates have been going down overall since the mid 1990s. This is attributed to a range of factors, including an increased focus on neighbourhood policing and more technical measures such as the introduction of car immobilisers by manufacturers. To cut crime and reassure the public, careful analysis is needed to make sure officers and staff are doing the right things, including patrol, at the right times and right locations. The police cut crime in three basic ways. Firstly they deter criminals by catching them when they break the law. Secondly, by analysing where crime may take place, the opportunity can be removed; and thirdly, through being fair and respectful to the public, people are less likely to break the law in future. The Police Federation of England and Wales is a staff association for all police constables, sergeants and inspectors (including chief inspectors). It was created by the Police Act 1919, passed a year after a crippling strike by the unrecognised National Union of Police and Prison Officers (NUPPO). 8

9 Timeline since the 1962 Royal Commission on Police Since the Royal Commission on Policing in 1962, the expectations of the public on policing have also shifted and in answer to this, Parliament has passed a number of reforms to the service. These have impacted upon every area of our work and a constable from the 1960s would not recognise the service today. The police service is constantly changing and the pace of reform has increased exponentially over past decades. The table to the right serves to demonstrate some of the most notable changes that have taken place over the past 50 years. Among the most recent significant reforms is the comprehensive review of police terms and conditions conducted by Tom Winsor (now Her Majesty s Chief Inspector of Constabulary). Changes in policing Two specific areas of policing that officers in the 1960s didn t contend with on a daily basis are terrorism and cyber crime Royal Commission on Police Police Act Home Office Circular on Beat Policing Police Act Scarman Report Home Office circular; Financial Management Initiative Police and Criminal Evidence Act Royal Commission on Criminal Justice Sheehy Inquiry Police and Magistrates Court Act Police Act Crime and Disorder Act The MacPherson Report Patten Report Regulation of investigatory Powers Act Criminal Justice and Police Act Police Reform Act Anti-Social Behaviour Act HMIC Report on Workforce Modernisation Prevention of Terorism Act Serious Organised Crime and Police Act HMIC policing structure review: Closing the gap Police and Justice Act Flanagan Report Counter Terrorism Act Policing and Crime Act Crime and Security Act Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act Hutton Report Winsor Report Protection of Freedoms Act Crime and Courts Bill (awaiting Royal Assent) Cyber crime was identified as a major threat to UK security and as a result the Government granted 30m over four years to improve national capability to investigate and combat it. This paid for three regional units. Within the first 18 months of activity, the central unit conducted seven operations across England, Wales which resulted in an overall harm prevention figure of 83m. The ACPO Terrorism and Allied Matters (TAM) business area leads for the police service on Counter Terrorism and related issues through, among other activities, the development of police service policy and strategy in respect of relevant Counter Terrorism, Domestic Extremism and other policing themes. As part of this role, the business area liaises with Government and other partners on behalf of the police service. The ACPO (TAM) Counter Terrorism Implementation Programme was established in 2006 with the aim of providing an effective national policing capability in response to terrorism. As a result of this programme of work, the Counter Terrorism network was set up with dedicated Counter Terrorism resources, regionally based and resourced by lead police forces. Their role includes the gathering of intelligence and evidence to help prevent, disrupt and prosecute terrorist activities. The network has a wide range of experts including but not limited to skilled detectives, financial investigators, community contact teams, intelligence analysts, forensic specialist and high-tech investigators. The network also includes police assets located within police forces to ensure close links with the communities they serve. The current approach to dealing with terrorism is set out in the Government s UK s Counter Terrorism strategy, Contest. The aim of Contest is to reduce the risk to the UK and its interests overseas from terrorism, so that people can go about their lives freely and with confidence. The Strategy is organised around four workstreams, each comprising a number of key objectives: Pursue Prevent Protect Prepare to stop terrorist attacks; to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism; to strengthen our protection against a terrorist attack; and to mitigate the impact of a terrorist attack. 9

10 Tackling anti-social behaviour Responding to fewer resources Around 3.2 million incidents of anti-social behaviour were recorded by the police in England and Wales in 2010/11. These incidents are dealt with in partnership with local authorities and agencies. Local policing is at the core of Britain s, internationally recognised, model. It is all about what happens on the streets and how safe people feel in the communities they inhabit. Over the past fifteen years, there has been renewed focus on neighbourhood policing teams so that we can better respond to anti-social behaviour. Now, in every ward in the country, there are named police officers and Police Community Support Officers that the public can access and turn to, either in person or online. There are regular meetings between the public and the officers in their area so that priorities can be set and problems addressed. All parts of the public sector are being asked to share the burden of reducing the national deficit and policing must find 2.4 billion over the next four years to close the gap in funding caused by central government cuts to the police budget. The savings that need to be made equate to about 20 per cent of the entire police service budget for the period. While ACPO continues to believe creating larger strategic forces could both protect and enhance local policing while creating opportunities for significant cost savings, there is no political will from any side to change the 44 force model in England and Wales. However, chief officers are doing what they can to collaborate with each other and the private sector to create as many opportunities for cost savings as possible. Forces plan to make 169m of savings from collaboration over the spending review period, which equates to 11 per cent of the savings requirement and by 2014/15 around a sixth of policing will be delivered through collaboration. In 2009 a comprehensive review identified opportunities to improve resilience and to cut costs for air support across England and Wales. A decision was made to replace the current system with a national service, organised regionally and delivered locally. Forces collaborated to remove the artificial boundaries that restrict force aircraft to operating within their own force areas. The new model which begins roll out in 2012, will enable significant savings to all forces with an overall saving of more than 10million. With over 80 per cent of our budgets being spent on pay, the scale of the cuts will mean that job losses will have to form part of the package of measures to meet the financial challenge. We will lose 32,400 police officers and staff by March 2015 and we have already lost 17,600. It will become more and more challenging to maintain the trend of the past decade of falling crime and rising confidence of the public in the police service. Police Superintendents Association of England and Wales was formed in 1952 and is the sole representative and negotiating body for Superintendents in the absence of a trade union. The present prohibition on joining a trade union or taking strike action can be traced back to the 1919 Police Act. The police service increasingly deals with mental health issues. According to research done by the Centre for Mental Health at least 15 per cent of police work touches on this area. Mental health is currently making significant demands on policing. Better diversion and support could reduce that, freeing up officers to fight crime, and more importantly ensuring improved services for those who are ill. Crimes against those with mental health problems have also become a key point of concern. The Equality and Human Rights Commission recently authored a report 'Hidden in Plain Sight' which looked at the extent of harassment toward disabled people. 10

11 Policing as a national service National Structures and Co-ordination and the Future Landscape of Policing In this country our model of policing is founded upon the local, delivered through police forces across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, each independent of one another. Unlike other sectors such as the military or National Health Service, there is no central structure with a role in directing operational policing. Therefore in the public interest and, in equal and active partnership with Government and the Association of Police Authorities (and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners in future), ACPO leads and coordinates the direction and development of the police service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In a 44 Force structure there are times when a national response needs to be coordinated as one. In such times of national need, ACPO - on behalf of all chief officers - co-ordinates the strategic policing response. This is facilitated through the ACPO Police National Information Coordination Centre (PNICC). PNICC works to ensure policing resilience during major events such as the emergency response to serious flooding, the investigation of a terrorist attack or operations requiring mutual aid such as the August riots. PNICC supports the police team that work alongside nominated chief officers and government representatives sitting in COBR (Cabinet Office Briefing Room) at times of national crisis. PNICC also handles support to overseas crises involving UK nationals, such as the 2004 Tsunami. Chief Constables Council is the senior decision-making body for ACPO. It brings together the chief constables of police forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the chief constables of the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police, Civil Nuclear Constabulary, Director General of the Serious Organised Crime Agency and the Chief Executive of the National Policing Improvement Agency. It meets quarterly and is chaired by the ACPO President. The Association brings together the expertise and experience of chief police officers from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, providing a professional forum to share ideas and best practice, coordinate resources and help deliver effective policing which keeps the public safe. Other areas of national coordination exist within the ACPO Business Areas. There are 14 Business Areas, 340 chief officers making up ACPO and 336 separate police functions or types of crime ( portfolios ) that are nationally led and coordinated by a Chief Constable, ranging from police use of firearms to metal theft. These roles are supported inside and outside the police service by the ACPO Communications Team which responds to media enquiries concerning national policing and crime reduction. In future the non-operational elements of these Business Areas will be taken on by the College of Policing. ACPO Criminal Records Office (ACRO) is a national unit that provides a centre of excellence in recording and using criminal records, fingerprints and DNA. It plays a significant role in delivering operational benefits to law enforcement agencies and has a vital role in issuing police certificates for emigration purposes. ACRO responsibilities include the United Kingdom Central Authority for the Exchange of Criminal Records (UKCA- ECR) which was set up in 2006 following a European Framework Decision. It is responsible for working with the other 26 European Union Member States to ensure that their relevant authorities are informed when people travel to the European Union and are convicted of crimes. The ACRO Criminology and Forensic Research portfolio provides research in the field of criminology, particularly around the retention and use of criminal records and biometric information. 11

12 Strategic Policing Requirement (SPR) The SPR (published July 31, 2012) is a national strategy document that lays out the national requirement from forces in terms of manpower and resources. The SPR focuses on those areas where the Government has responsibility for ensuring that sufficient capabilities are in place to respond to serious and cross-force threats. Chief Constables and PCCs are required to have regard to the SPR. It does not cover areas where chief constables and police and crime commissioners are able to make effective local risk assessments. When having regard to the SPR police and crime commissioners and chief constables are advised to consider other professional assessments made by the police and other law enforcement organisations, such as the National Policing Requirement Documents as agreed by Chief Constable s Council. The National Police Air Service was designed to provide a national air service, regionally coordinated for local delivery to the 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales. It replaced the previous structure, whereby police forces operate their own helicopters individually or in small consortia, in October The NPIA Governance and oversight of the National DNA Database is provided by the National DNA Database Strategy Board. It operates under the tripartite arrangements for the governance of policing, comprising members from the ACPO, the Home Office/ NPIA and APA. Representatives from the Human Genetics Commission and the Information Commissioners Office also sit on the Strategy Board. College of Policing The NPIA was formed in April 2007 to contribute to improving public safety by providing critical national services, building capability across the police service and providing professional expertise to police forces and authorities. The NPIA is now being phased out and will cease to exist in December Elements of the work have been allocated to other organisations. Between April and March , the National DNA Database produced 124 matches to murder, 522 to rapes and 28,996 to other crime scenes. Its management of critical information technology ICT infrastructure and its support in developing new ways of working is expected to form part of the new Police ICT Company, owned by PCCs. The NPIA support and manage on behalf of the service a number of critical ICT systems, for instance the Police National Database and HOLMES. In December 2011, the Home Secretary announced plans for the creation of a professional body for the police service, and in July 2012 it was announced that the College of Policing will be established by the end of This body will take on some of the responsibilities of the NPIA and the nonoperational work of the ACPO Business Areas. A solid framework for working with universities and others to develop the evidence base for policing is an exciting opportunity for UK policing. The College will identify evidence of what works in policing and share best practice: by providing access to a body of knowledge that is informed by evidence-based research and therefore enable the service to develop the capabilities needed. The College will set and enhance firstclass national standards of professionalism by developing a set of nationally agreed standards for officers and staff to attain; providing frameworks for standards to be tested and achievement rewarded; and by supporting national business areas. It will be chaired by someone independent of the police service and its board will have an equal balance of police and nonpolice representatives, including PCCs. Police and Crime Commissioners The police service is working hard to ensure a smooth transition to the Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) taking up office. ACPO and other policing bodies are working closely with the newly formed Association of Police and Crime Commissioners to achieve that end. The police service has worked closely with Government to establish a protocol governing the relationship between a PCC and a police force. PCCs will have to pay due regard to it and their responsibilities to national policing beyond their local commitments. 12

13 National Crime Agency The NCA will be made up of four commands: The National Crime Agency (NCA) is accountable to the Home Secretary and will work with forces to tackle serious and organised crime. It will build on the work of the Serious Organised Crime Agency, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, and will incorporate some of the functions of the National Policing Improvement Agency which fit the agency s crime fighting remit. The Director General will be appointed by the Home Secretary, but will be operationally independent. They will decide which operations the NCA should run against which organised crime groups, and how those operations should be conducted. They will also, uniquely, have a power in extremis to direct local police forces to deploy resources against specific targets. the Organised Crime Command will target organised crime groups operating across local, national and international borders. The command will work with police forces and other agencies to ensure that prioritised and appropriate action is taken against every organised crime group identified the Border Policing Command will ensure that all law enforcement agencies operating in and around the border work to clear, mutually-agreed priorities, ensuring illegal goods are seized, illegal immigrants are dealt with and networks of organised criminals are targeted and disrupted, both overseas and at ports up and down the UK the Economic Crime Command will provide the capability to deal with fraud and economic crimes, including those carried out by organised criminals the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre will work with industry, government, children s charities and law enforcement to protect children from sexual abuse and bring offenders to account. Holding the police to account The police service is about to undergo several of the most significant changes to its accountability structure since its creation in Being directly accountable to a single individual is a new dynamic for policing and the police service has been striving to ensure that systems are in place to ensure forces continue to deliver the service expected of them in this period of change. There is also a change of direction for Her Majesty s Inspectorate of Constabulary which will be taking on a more regulatory role in future. The recent appointment of a non-police officer Chief Inspector of Constabulary confirms this direction of travel. Police and Crime Commissioners The debate about the introduction of PCCs is well rehearsed, but the direct political element they may bring to policing is still an unknown quantity. The most important and central tenet to the British model of policing is that of impartiality; originally described by Peel: Police seek and preserve public favour not by catering to public opinion, but by constantly demonstrating absolute impartial service to the law. This principle is still retained in the oath that all officers swear to the Crown. It is through operational independence, which Government is committed to maintain, that Chief Constables are given the opportunity to act impartially. 13

14 The Protocol The Protocol sets out how the new policing governance arrangements will work. It clarifies the role and responsibilities of PCCs, MOPAC, chief constables, police and crime panels and the London assembly police and crime panel. It outlines what these bodies are expected to do and how they should work together to fight crime and improve policing. The Chief Constable The Chief Constable is responsible for maintaining the Queen s Peace, and has direction and control over the force s officers and staff. The Chief Constable holds office under the Crown, but is appointed by the PCC except in London where the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Home Secretary. The PCC is the recipient of all funding, including the government grant and precept and other sources of income, related to policing and crime reduction and all funding for a force must come via the PCC. How this money is allocated is a matter for the PCC in consultation with the Chief Constable, or in accordance with any grant terms. The Chief Constable will provide professional advice and recommendations. The PCC will have control of a significant budget and some areas currently subject to ring-fence will be freed up to be used as the Commissioner wishes. There is also an emphasis on the commissioning of services, something that has been widespread across the health services and local government for a number of years but not in delivering certain aspects of policing. The Independent Police Complaints Commission The IPCC s primary statutory purpose is to increase public confidence in the police complaints system in England and Wales. The IPCC was established by the Police Reform Act and became operational in April It is independent of the police, government and complainants. The IPCC is also responsible for serious complaints relating to staff at the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and Her Majesty s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), and for serious complaints and conduct matters relating to officers and officials at the UK Border Agency (UKBA). Her Majesty s Inspectorate of Constabulary Her Majesty s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) independently assesses police forces and policing across activity from neighbourhood teams to serious crime and the fight against terrorism in the public interest. HM Inspectors of Constabulary are appointed by the Crown; they are not employees of the police service or government. HM Inspectors have powers to seek information from police forces and to access their premises and report to parliament on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces in England and Wales. In future Police and Crime Commissioners will be able to commission HMIC to conduct reviews of their respective forces. HMIC will also offer assistance in the appointment, or disciplining of a chief constable (if requested). The Policing Mission Schedule 4 Police Act 1996: I do solemnly and sincerely declare and affirm that I will well and truly serve the Queen in the office of constable, with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality, upholding fundamental human rights and according equal respect to all people; and that I will, to the best of my power, cause the peace to be kept and preserved and prevent all offences against people and property; and that while I continue to hold the said office I will, to the best of my skill and knowledge, discharge all the duties thereof faithfully according to the law 14