C o n f e r The New Order in Policing e n Implications for Leadership and Society c 31 st Cumberland Lodge Police Conference, 27-29 April 2012 e Report by Detective Inspector Robert France R e p Analysing the impact of the imminent introduction of Police and Crime o r Commissioners to the policing landscape of England and Wales t A House for Ideas Contents A Brave New World? 2 Politicisation and Legitimacy 3 Managing the Relationship 3 Ethical Considerations 4 C Preparing the Ground 4 o n t e Steering Committee 5 n t s About 6 1 Report of 31 st Cumberland Lodge Police Conference The New Order in Policing: Implications for Leadership and Society, by Detetctive Inspector Robert France © Cumberland Lodge and Robert France, 2012 www.cumberlandlodge.ac.uk Cover image provided by West Yorkshire Police Kindly supported by Speakers Sir Norman Bettison Chief Constable, West Yorkshire Police In addition to this report, a series of recommendations Lord Blair of Boughton for policy makers, Chief Police Officers and Police and former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service C Crime Commissioners were issued following the conference, o Dr Tim Brain available at: www.cumberlandlodge.ac.uk/police2012 n Visiting Professor, University of Gloucestershire f e r Edward Boyd e Research Fellow, Policy Exchange n c Shami Chakrabarti e Director, Liberty R e Greg Dyke A Brave New World? p Chairman, British Film Institute and Chancellor, University of York o r Jessica de Grazia The 31 st Police Conference at Cumberland Lodge focussed t Director, Policing for All on the imminent introduction of Police and Crime Nick Herbert, MP Commissioners (PCCs) to the policing landscape of England 2 Minister of State for Policing and Criminal Justice and Wales. The timeliness of that theme, and the significance Jon House of this change, could not have been highlighted more clearly Chief Executive, Cardiff City Council than by the resignation of the Chief Constable of Cllr Donna Jones Police & Crime Commissioner Candidate, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Gloucestershire constabulary on the eve of the event. He cited as his central reason for resigning “grave concerns about Adrian Lee Chief Constable, Northamptonshire some elements of the reform agenda, especially the election Professor Ian Loader of Police and Crime Commissioners”. Drawing on a wealth Professor of Criminology, University of Oxford of experience the conference explored the likely impact of Craig Mackey one of the most significant changes to police governance Deputy Commissioner, Metropolitan Police Service since the Police Act of 1968, which gave policing in England Professor Phil Redmond and Wales the now familiar tripartite structure. Particular TV Producer and screenwriter, Merseyside emphasis was placed on practical implications and the need Sara Thornton for the police service to be engaged with and prepared for Chief Constable, Thames Valley Police the transition to an uncertain future. Ian Trenholm Chief Executive Windsor and Maidenhead Council Politicisation and Legitimacy the broad public interest. Much of the detail remains unclear, and the The move away from the distributed accountability mechanisms of the principles which will underpin the relationship between the PCCs and tripartite system to a single, visible, directly elected individual has the Chief Constables are likely to be developed in the days and months potential to change dramatically the relationship between the public following their introduction. and the police. Whilst that individual will have some responsibility The engagement of the police service, and in particular its most senior locally to the police and crime panel, and nationally to the home C officers, will therefore be central to how the role of PCCs emerges and secretary, the balance of power will have shifted considerably. There is o develops. The conference looked to existing structures which share key n a clear opportunity for the public voice, expressed through the f elements with the new PCC/Chief Constable relationship to provide e democratic process, to direct more strongly the direction and priorities r insights into how the service can prepare for this step change, and engage e of their police service. This has particular resonance with the discourse with the new landscape. Key areas highlighted by the conference n on police legitimacy and procedural justice, the idea that a policing c included: managing the relationship between Chief Constables and e system which is seen to be fair and with genuine mechanisms for PCCs, the development of ethics within the new structure and R individuals to challenge decision making processes will result in preparing the ground for the arrival of PCCs. e increased public compliance with the law. p o However there must be a question about the appetite of the public to r Managing the relationship t take that opportunity, with only one of the ten cities polled in this year’s Whether it was comparisons with the relationships between council local referendums opting to move to a directly elected mayor. This was Chief Executives and Council Leaders, American Police Chiefs and reflected during the conference in nervousness that low voter turnout Mayors or the Chair of a board and the company Chief Executive the 3 might undermine the democratic mandate of the candidate, or lead to importance of understanding and managing that one to one relationship the election of PCCs with an agenda focussed on only specific parts of was clear. A detailed understanding of, and support for, each others roles the community or narrow political issues. along with mechanisms to keep a professional distance were described The question of politicisation was one that reoccurred throughout the as important factors in establishing a successful working relationship. For conference. It was clear that the operational independence of a public Chief Constables that means, amongst other things, accepting that a police service was valued by speakers from across the spectrum, and the candidate will have been courting positive media coverage in order to wording of the legislation that created PCCs seeks to preserve that get elected and is likely to want to maintain that once in post. operational independence. What is less clear is exactly what operational Senior police officers will have a significant advantage over PCCs in independence will mean for a Chief Constable asked to put into terms of professional knowledge and the practicalities of how their practice the manifestos of PCCs elected by popular mandate. organisation works. It was suggested that a good relationship would be Reflecting on the range of views it may be that debate has been one where that knowledge was used to outline options to implement couched in the wrong terms. A strong argument can be made that a manifesto commitments, to highlight areas of risk the PCC may not be public police service is inherently, and in the case of the police service aware of and to introduce PCCs to the growing body of evidence based of England and Wales demonstrably, political. The question then research into “what works” in policing. That power balance may well becomes whether, or perhaps how, the advent of PCCs can strengthen change as the new structure goes through the iterations of election and the democratic accountability of the police whilst preserving the re -election; but this initial period will set the tone for some time to independence of officers at all levels to make operational decisions in come. Unlike most of the relationships which might be considered analogous mooted as a way to tie these newly powerful officials into a public to that of the PCCs and Chief Constables this particular arrangement commitment to service and ethical behaviour, against which future has the potential to be particularly direct, and therefore intense. There actions could be judged. Chief Constables are of course already sworn is no company board, no compulsion for special advisors to be officers, but reaffirming their oath at the same time could be a powerful appointed, no body of elected councillors to debate decisions. This will symbol of their operational independence. make the personal relationship particularly important, but also highlights C that a PCC might be well advised to build around themselves a body o of people to diffuse the intensity of that relationship and provide Preparing the Ground n f valuable independent support. e Anyone who attended the conference was left in little doubt that this is r e not just a superficial change, and the police service needs to be ready. n Chief Constables and their teams already need to be thinking through c Ethical Considerations e and preparing to manage this new relationship and the likely ethical R Whilst the ethical questions raised by the introduction of PCCs are not issues. However more than that there is a need to make practical e new, the significant change in context makes this an important area. preparations. The candidates manifestos will need to have been read and p o How should the public expect PCCs to behave? What standards or digested and plans already formed. Regardless of which candidate walks r guidance exists, or should exist? Will there be any temptation to use through the door on day one forces need to be ready to move forward t the position to further personal political aims? How should PCCs and with the PCCs priorities, and show how that can be managed within Chief Constable establish where the line is between strategic and and to the benefit of day to day business. What might be considered 4 operational decisions, and how will any disagreements be resolved? One trivial issues, such as whether accommodation is ready for the PCC and fear is that the answer to the last question will be that Chief Constables how it compares to that already provided to the Chief Constable, must will either be sacked or placed in an untenable position when they seek not be missed and could have a significant impact on the relationship.