Saima Afzal

Association of Police Authorities Executive Member/Lancashire Police Authority

Equalities, Diversity and Human Rights Portfolio

HPDS 2011 Saima Afzal ‘Challenging, Scenarios’

Presentation Overview

• Role of Police Authorities and the APA• The future of police governance• Interactive session - examine possible

dilemmas/questions• New proposed governance structure for

‘Policing’ and the risks posed by it. (APA view)

The Current Role of the Police Authorities

Strategic Aims of Police Authorities and the APA

• Ensuring equitable service delivery• Policing by consent• Trust and confidence of all communities• The APA the national voice of all Police

Authorities- The Tri-partite (ACPO, Home Office and Police Authorities)

Role of Police Authorities

•Ensuring that there are effective arrangements for consulting local communities about policing and for reflecting those views in local policing priorities and targets. •Producing a policing plan before the beginning of each financial year setting out the policing priorities and targets for the local police force and the plans for delivery during the following three years.  •Publishing a local policing summary that sets out the police authority’s priorities for the coming year, and gives details of how the police force has met the priorities set for the previous year. •Oversight and scrutiny of performance against key indicators and local performance targets. Performance information should be provided to local communities.  •Monitoring the Force’s continuous improvement activity. •Considering the Force’s Finance and Resource Plan, setting a budget and setting the council tax.

Role of Police Authorities• Monitoring the budget. • Monitoring the handling of complaints against the Police and ensuring

complaints procedures are carried out properly. • Administering an Independent Custody Visiting Scheme. • Appointing the Chief Constable and other chief officers. • Holding the Chief Constable to account for the exercise of his/her

function and those of persons under his/her direction and control.   • Monitoring the performance of the Police Force in

(a) complying with the Human Rights Act 1998;(b) carrying out the local policing plan; and(c) Securing that arrangements are made for the Force to collaborate with other police forces  where such collaboration would be in the interests of the efficiency and effectiveness of the force or policing generally.  

• Promoting equality and diversity within their force and within the authority.

Role of Police Authoritiesin Engaging the Public

•Following the Scarman report into inner-city disturbances in the early 1980s, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984) required police authorities to consult the public prior to the setting of local police objectives and to publish a local policing plan (drafted by the chief constable) outlining objectives.• The Police Act (1996) consolidated the legal requirement for police authorities to make arrangements to obtain the views of the people in that area about policing matters; seek their co-operation with the police in preventing crime and take account of the views of communities in setting local police priorities.

Role Of Police Authoritiesin Engaging the Public

•The Crime and Disorder Act (1998) created Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) under which police forces and local authorities, in co-operation with police authorities and other agencies, were required to consult the public on a local audit of crime and disorder and a strategy for tackling them. •Under the Police Reform Act (2002), police authorities have the same status as police forces and local authorities on CDRPs.•The Local Government Act (1999) put a duty on police authorities to achieve Best Value in the provision of services to the public. Under this duty, police authorities are required to consult users of services.•Under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act (2000) police authorities have a duty to consult on the likely impact of proposed policies on the promotion of race equality, publish the results and ensure public access to policing information and services.

The Future of Police Governance

• Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill-presented to Parliament Nov 2010 – will be enacted by Autumn 2011

• New proposed governance structure to replace PA’s-May 2012-Ist elected Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC)

• National Crime Agency Bill will be presented to Parliament-Autumn 2011-will be enacted by April 2012

• NPIA will cease to operate end Dec 2012• National Crime Agency will not function until April 2013

Any Questions on the role of PA’s and the APA?

Debating AreasWhat is the potential impact on EDHR considering the proposed

changes in police governance?Please consider:

• Impact on communities

• On the organisation (i.e. Police Service)

• The Police Authorities

• Your personal feelings regarding the proposed changes

11/11/2010 ©Saima Afzal ‘Challenging, Coaching Scenarios’

Debating AreasHow would you engage with a Directly Elected Police CrimeCommissioner if the successful individual belonged to an extremistparty or group?

Please consider:

• Your personal response

• Your professional response

• How will you attempt to maintain the confidence of under represented groups and minority communities both internal and external to the organisation?

11/11/2010 ©Saima Afzal ‘Challenging, Coaching Scenarios’

Debating AreasIn the future EDHR targets will be set locally and not nationally.

Please discuss and consider:

• Who will decide what targets are set for the Police Service/Force area?

• How will you influence what local targets are set?

• Are you aware of the equality legislation and the Equality Standard? • How will you implement the Equality legislation?

• How can you use the Equality Standard for the Police Service to aid you as future leaders?

11/11/2010 ©Saima Afzal ‘Challenging, Coaching Scenarios’

Equality Impact of Proposed Future Police Governance

Challenges• New Directly elected Police And Crime

Commissioners• Ensuring diverse communities are

represented under any new governance structures

• Financial cutbacks and associated risk with Equalities being sidelined

Specific Challenges• Leadership-Police National Assessment Centre

(PNAC) selections-a legacy for the future!• Local recruitment, retention and progression

activity• Stop and Search and unjustifiable

disproportionality• Confidence of communities

Disenfranchisement

• Access and the Digital gap– Searching for support

• Further polarisation– ‘Middle class’ do better as poor suffer more– Mobilised, educated and motivated

• Adding complexity– Micro provision, more providers, more ad hoc

agreements, less clarity

Risks

• Politicisation of service provision– Single interest groups and ‘populist’ provision– How will ‘we’ serve the powerless?– Potential risk to policing the crime not the

whole community– Threats to equality and the most vulnerable

and under-represented groups

A way Forward

• The Equality Standard for policing measuring outcomes• The single Equalities Bill-welcomed as it incorporates age, sexual

orientation and religion and beliefs-also outcomes focused and may place a socio-economic duty on public sector bodies including police authorities.

• HMIC inspection of elements of the Equality standard-also outcomes focused.

• Differentiation must be made between necessary and unnecessary bureaucracy.

• Strong ethical leadership at every layer of the Police Service.

NB/ Need to ensure diverse groups are represented via an ‘independent’ route and not just the ballot box to ensure inclusivity and access to all services.

Any Questions?