UK Government Ministers to be given new powers to sack failing police chiefs

UK Government Ministers will be given direct powers to sack failing chief constables after a row over the police decision to ban Israeli football fans from a match against Aston Villa.

Under new laws, the Home Secretary will be able to sanction the retirement, resignation or suspension of the most senior officer in any force if they are found to be “poorly performing”.

It comes after the former head of West Midlands Police, Craig Guildford, stood down amid mounting pressure following a backlash to the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from a game in Birmingham.

Before Mr Guildford announced he was leaving the force, opposition critics had demanded Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood take action under the Police Act 1996.

Section 40 of the Act allows home secretaries to direct local police bodies to take certain measures against failing forces, but ministerial powers to sack police chiefs were removed under the Tory-led government in 2011.

Under new Government proposals, police forces will made accountable to the Home Secretary, who will have the authority to order so-called “crack squads” to turn around poor performance, the Home Office said.

Officers from the best-performing forces will be sent in to drive up standards where crime-solving rates and police response times are found lacking, the department said.

New targets on 999 response times and victim satisfaction will also be introduced, with forces graded and results published online as part of a bid to increase public accountability under the plans.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary will also be given statutory powers to hand out directions when forces fail to act on recommendations, the Home Office said.

The changes form part of a white paper, From local To National: A New Model For policing’, in which Ms Mahmood is expected to outline sweeping police reforms on Monday.

The Home Secretary had promised action after declaring she had lost confidence in Mr Guildford surrounding the decision by West Midlands Police to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from Villa Park last year.

The former police chief had apologised for giving incorrect evidence to MPs about the handling of the ban, which included denying that AI had been used in a report that informed the decision.

A preliminary review by the policing watchdog into the force’s intelligence gathering also found “confirmation bias” influenced the move.

Mr Guildford said his belief had been “honestly held” and he had not intended to “mislead” the Home Affairs Committee, but he retired days later, blaming a “political and media frenzy” for his decision to step down.

Public

Announcing the changes on Friday, Ms Mahmood said: “The police are the public, and the public are the police.

“It is essential that the people can determine what they expect from their forces.

“I will make police forces accountable to both Parliament and the public – driving up standards so they fight more crime in their communities.”