In response to a Written Ministerial Statement on police misconduct and investigations:
Giles Orpen-Smellie and Alison Lowe, APCC portfolio leads for Police Transparency and Accountability yesterday said:
“We are concerned that the government's plans are only now at the consultation stage as further delay may well be reflected in a continued lack of clarity and confidence on behalf of both the police and the public.
“PCCs, as the voice of the public in policing in their communities, play a key role in holding the police to account for their actions and we acknowledge the highly nuanced nature of these issues, but it is time to sort this out so that those who find themselves caught up in these difficult and tragic situations have greater clarity and are not faced with years in court before any kind of resolution is reached.
“PCCs have duties under the Equality Act 2010. To help them discharge those, the APCC's Race Disparity Working Group has produced an Equality Framework which enables communities to effectively scrutinise police use of their powers.”