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 Robert France R e p

Analysing the impact of the imminent introduction of Police and Crime o r

Commissioners to the policing landscape of and Wales t

A House for Ideas Contents 1 s 2 3 3 4 5 4 6 t

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w o h i y C w © T R b K Speakers

Sir Norman Bettison Chief , 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 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 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, 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, 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 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. to draw what they believe to be the operational line in the sand. This Similarly who gives the first briefings to the PCC, and what the topics will be more likely if different Chief Constables are making of those briefings will be, has the potential to set the agenda with either independent, and therefore inevitably different, decisions about where a positive or negative effect that will last for a considerable length of that line is. time. The old adage that first impressions count is a lesson not to be There is a potential role here for either ACPO or the new professional missed. body in drawing on the knowledge and experience of senior officers The conference covered a huge amount of ground, and these are just to establish a common understanding of the role of the Chief Constable some of what I consider to be the strongest themes. Cumberland Lodge in this new environment. It was suggested that there is a readymade set provided the perfect environment to consider the challenges ahead, and of guidelines for both PCCs and Chief Constables: The seven principles to explore approaches which will maximise the benefit for the public. It of public office, as set out in 1995 by the then newly formed committee is the depth of thought and openness to new ideas the Lodge inspires on standards in public life (The Nolan Principles). America’s directly which will undoubtedly help the police service to focus on what matters elected district attorneys have similar codes, and have wrestled over the most – the communities we serve. years with the need to ensure decisions about who is investigated and for what are made without narrow political bias. A public oath was also Detective Inspector Robert France , Thames Valley Police Cumberland Lodge Police Steering Committee Professor Rod Morgan Professor Emeritus, University of Bristol; Visiting Professor, School of Economics, Cardiff and Bath Universities; Ministry of Justice−appointed advisor Rob Beckley, QPM to the four criminal justice inspectorates. Deputy Chief Constable for Avon and Somerset Constabulary; leads the ACPO Previous roles: Chairman of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales; HM ‘Citizenship in Policing’ Portfolio, pulling together the Police Service approach Chief Inspector of Probation; author of many works on aspects of criminal to Volunteering, the Third Sector and citizen engagement in Policing. S justice; co−editor of the Oxford Handbook of Criminology (5th Ed., OUP t Previous roles: Head of Race and Minority Policy at New Scotland Yard; BCU e 2012); consultant to Amnesty International and the Council of Europe. e

Commander for Chiltern Vale Area; Assistant Chief Constable (Crime and r i Operations), Hertfordshire Constabulary; Race and Diversity and Terrorism and , QPM n Allied Matters Committees, ACPO; established National Community Tensions Chief Constable, Surrey. g

Team; led community strand of the National Counter−Terrorism Strategy. Previous roles; Metropolitan Police Service; Sergeant and Detective, Detective C Chief Inspector and Senior Investigating officer, ; BCU o Sir Norman Bettison, QPM Commander, Temporary Assistant Chief Constable (Specialist Operations), m Chief Constable, West Yorkshire Police. Assistant Chief Constable (Territorial Operations), Surrey.; Temporary Deputy m

Previous roles: Assistant Chief Constable in West Yorkshire; Chief Constable, i

Chief Constable, South East Region; Deputy Assistant Commissioner t t

Merseyside; Chief Executive of Centrex; Chief Constable, West Yorkshire responsible for Territorial Policing, Metropolitan Police Service; Assistant e Police. Sir Norman was granted an Honorary Fellowship by Liverpool John Commissioner, MPS Management Board. Lynne was awarded the Queens e Moores University; awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for Distinguished Police Medal for distinguished service in the New Years Honours (2008). Service (2000) and a Knighthood for services to policing (2006). Sara Thornton, CBE, QPM 5 Chris Bourlet Chief Constable, Thames Valley; Vice President, ACPO. OCU Commander of Safer Neighbourhoods and Community Policing. Previous roles: Vice Chair of ACPO Terrorism and Allied Matters; Director of Previous roles: Metropolitan Police Service; staff officer to the Director of the Police National Assessment Centre; Chair of ACPO Intelligence Portfolio Serious Crime and in the Directorate of Professional Standards, New Scotland Metropolitan Police; New Scotland Yard; Assistant Chief Constable Specialist Yard; Child Abuse Investigation Command; Operations and Operations, Deputy Chief Constable, Acting Chief Constable, Thames Valley. In Partnership, Croydon; Borough Commander, Merton. 2006 Sara was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal and in the 2011 New Year’s Honours she was awarded a CBE. Nick Gargan Chief Constable and Chief Executive, National Policing Improvement Agency; Paul West, QPM Member of ACPO Cabinet and Council; Senior Responsible Owner, Founder−Director, Policing First. Information Systems Improvement Strategy and IMPACT Programme. Previous roles: Assistant Chief Constable, Deputy Chief Constable, Thames Previous roles: National Criminal Intelligence Service; Detective Valley; Chief Constable of ; Professional Standards and Superintendent, Head of Crime Squads and Basic Command Unit Commander, Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders lead, ACPO. Leicestershire East; Assistant Chief Constable, Thames Valley; Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive, NPIA. Nigel Whiskin, MBE Director, Restorative Solutions; Associate Consultant, Reliance Secure Task Management. Simon Megicks Previous roles: Probation Officer, developed first Victims Support Scheme, Detective Superintendent and Public Protection lead, Cambridgeshire. NACRO; founding Chief Executive, Crime Concern; volunteer, Koestler Trust; Previous role: Deputy Divisional Commander, Cambridgeshire Constabulary. Vice President, Trinity Sailing. About Cumberland Lodge Police Conferences About Cumberland Lodge

The New Order in Policing was the 31 st annual police conference at Cumberland Lodge is a house for ideas. It is a former royal residence Cumberland Lodge. Occasional conferences on police issues have been that has been an independent educational charity since 1947, promoting organised here almost from the start of the foundation in 1947. Since the ethical debate and cross -sector cooperation on a range of matters affecting 1980s, police conferences have been concerned with topics as diverse as: the development of society. surveillance, multiculturalism, drug abuse, and the media. Cumberland Lodge fulfils its mission by designing and facilitating a series At a recent celebration of the work of the foundation, Lord Dear, former of events which enable participants to discuss ethical, moral and spiritual Chief Constable, , celebrated the close partnership issues. of Cumberland Lodge and the modern Police Service, acknowledging www.cumberlandlodge.ac.uk

the national influence of the conferences held here. A b o u

About the author t

Detective Inspector Robert France is a police officer serving with Cumberland Lodge Programme Thames Valley Police and has held a variety of positions including 6 neighbourhood policing and crime investigation roles. He was recently Ginny Felton MBE involved in a strategic review of the force, and is currently the Detective Manager, Cumberland Lodge Programme Inspector for West Oxfordshire Local Police Area. Before joining the police he studied Chemistry as both an undergraduate and postgraduate Dr Owen Gower Director, Cumberland Lodge Programme at Oxford University, gaining his DPhil in 2004 shortly before joining the police. He has since completed a master’s degree in police leadership Dr Alastair Niven OBE and management at the University of Leicester and has a particular Principal, Cumberland Lodge interest in the application of research to operational policing. Janis Reeves Conference Co−ordinator, Cumberland Lodge Programme Sandra Robinson Recommendations Associate Director, Cumberland Lodge Programme For the Recommendations emerging from this conference, please visit Dr Faye Taylor King George VI Fellow www.cumberlandlodge.ac.uk/police2012