‘Insulting and wrong’ to call police and crime commissioners failed experiment

Describing police and crime commissioners as “a failed experiment” is “as insulting as it is patently wrong”, a major policing conference has been told.

Chairwoman of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) Emily Spurrell told delegates in Westminster that Government plans to replace PCCs will create “a confusing patchwork”.

Ministers plan to abolish the role in 2028 when the next elections are set to be held to save at least £100 million and help fund neighbourhood policing.

Instead, mayors and council leaders will take up the responsibilities of policing arrangements.

In a statement, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described the introduction of PCCs as “a failed experiment”.

Ms Spurrell told the annual summit of the APCC and National Police Chiefs’ Council on Tuesday: “Describing PCCs as a failed experiment is as insulting as it is patently wrong.

“Indeed, the mayor and deputy mayoral model for policing and crime the Government is committed to replicates the PCC model.

“I would argue, that proposed panels to be delivered by local authorities in non mayoral areas, which account for the vast majority of areas in our country, will involve multiple local authorities, and are more reminiscent of the old police authorities.

“As well as creating a confusing patchwork, which will mean they will not be able to effectively oversee policing, they will lack direct accountability.

“We want to work with the Government to design a replacement that works, that builds on the many successes of PCCs, and one that links strongly to the public.

“Not everyone has welcomed PCCs, or rather their purpose, but the need for ongoing scrutiny and challenge, even when it’s uncomfortable, has been proven time and time again, and has never been more important.”

Policing minister Sarah Jones announced the move in the Commons on Thursday, telling MPs that the PCC model has shown little sign of improving confidence in policing.

She said less than a quarter of voters turned out to vote for them in the 2024 elections, and two in five people are “unaware PCCs even exist”.