Member News
15th November 2012The organisation that represents rank and file police officers has said it stands ready to help the new police and crime commissioners.
Elections for the new positions in England and Wales will be held today.
PCCs will replace the current system where police authorities have political control over 41 individual forces.
Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation for England and Wales, told Central Lobby, that the new commissioners “will be in place by Friday and we will work with them and try to ensure we can assist them with our experience”.
“It is for government to decide how we should be held to account and they have gone down the route of PPCs,” he said.
“It is important that the local federations engage with the PCCs at the earliest opportunity and assist them to form their view of the force, with the limited resources they will have.
“It is a huge role and they are going to need all the help they can get. They are going to have to set budgets and commission services.
“Some will be up to speed straight away and understand the dynamics of how we work. There will be others that will need a lot of help. We hope they will listen those of us who do understand the service and who understand policing.”
Mr McKeever added:
“We try to be positive and look for the best, and faced with the reality of something that is coming, we have to make sure it works for the best possible way so that people get the best policing.”
Prime minister David Cameron says the new PCCs will give people “their own law and order champion - one person who sets the budgets, sets the priorities; hires and fires the chief constable; bangs heads together to get things done”.
“If you want more tough policing, you can get it,” he said.
“If you want coppers who are on the beat, on your street, cracking down on antisocial behaviour, focusing on the things you care about, then don't just talk about it, get out on 15 November and vote for it.”