APCC Welcomes PCC Review Recommendations

APCC Welcomes PCC Review Recommendations

The Home Secretary has today set out the recommendations of Part Two of the Police and Crime Commissioner Review.

Responding to the statement APCC Chair Marc Jones said:

Police and Crime Commissioners welcome the recommendations announced today as part of the PCC Review part Two. Over the last 10 years elected PCCs have established their role as the people's voice in policing' and are proud of our role in cutting crime, supporting victims, and mobilising local partnerships to keep people safe.

We know that, more than ever before, victims and the public need to know that PCCs are holding the police and criminal justice service to account and these measures are a positive step forward.

We have always said that with further levers, PCCs could play a more integral role in improving the criminal justice journey for victims and witnesses. We know that justice delayed is justice denied and it is still taking far too long for cases to get to court. Therefore, we welcome the recommendations to develop the role of PCCs in the criminal justice system.

By putting PCC chaired Local Criminal Justice Boards (LCJBs) on a statutory footing, the review recognises the critical role that these Boards play, mobilising agencies to work together more effectively. With stronger powers to bring local partners together, PCCs can drive improvements for victims and the public.

In addition, requiring all criminal justice agencies to share and publish performance data will allow for greater transparency in the system allowing for greater public awareness and will help PCCs and local agencies to drive forward improvements across the system.

We know that anti-social behaviour, drugs misuse and neighbourhood crime can blight communities and cause widespread misery, which is why we are pleased that the PCC role in convening partners to tackle these areas is being strengthened.

The review statement also picks up on two key areas from the PCC Review Part 1 around a wider functional power of competence for PCCs and a refreshing of the Policing Protocol. We support the wider power of competence and are pleased to see its inclusion. We will also work closely with both the Government and policing partners on the Policing Protocol review, to ensure it delivers the best outcomes for the public and policing.

We look forward to continuing to work with Government, national and local partners and the public we serve, to deliver on the recommendations in the review and continue making a real difference in cutting crime and keeping our communities safe.

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