Too many police chiefs? - A review of police strength and costs in England & Wales 2010
SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS - ACPO - The Association of Police Officers
•
Scrutinising the continuing value of 349 ACPO officers & 3,408 SMT Ranks, demanding that forces prove beyond doubt, the need for so many Chiefs drawing such a disproportionate percentage of the total staffing cost, both in numbers engaged and the bonus payments that are shrouded in secrecy.
ACPO has the ear of the Home Secretary and this, in combination with its influence over senior officers (and those wishing to become senior officers), means it is a prominent voice in determining policy. There is now a widespread belief that ACPO is the main party persuading forces to adopt particular policies.
Party Political Bias?
A Conservative government could find itself at war with police chiefs amid accusations that some have been too close to the Labour Party. A Tory briefing document, seen by The Times Newspaper attacked the Association of Chief Police Officers, which represents the 350 most senior officers in England and Wales. The note, written in Conservative campaign headquarters, accuses the association’s leaders of giving “political cover to the Labour Government repeatedly and consistently” and engaging in “gratuitous photocalls” with Gordon Brown and other ministers. It claims that ACPO, which receives £18 million a year from the Home Office, has “publicly and privately lobbied against a number of key Conservative issues, going far beyond its role”. The document adds that despite claiming to be an independent body that acts in the public interest, analysis of its statements “shows almost no criticism of the Labour Government”.
The paper was prepared by David Cameron’s strategy and policy unit, where radical reform of policing has been under serious discussion. It was written while Sir Ken Jones was president of ACPO, but since Sir Hugh Orde became head of ACPO relations between the Tories and senior police have continued to worsen. Party figures were infuriated when Sir Hugh, former chief constable in Northern Ireland, said that police chiefs would resign rather than accept the Tory policy of elected police commissioners to hold forces to account.
The three-page briefing note contains a critique of the structure of ACPO, pointing out that although it receives vast amounts of public money, the association is a private limited company was not until recently, accountable to the public or Parliament and not covered by the Freedom of Information Act.
44
Chapter 5
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111