Too many police chiefs? - A review of police strength and costs in England & Wales 2010
SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS - ACPO - The Association of Police Officers
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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.
The document outlines how, despite its private status, ACPO accrued operational policing roles in counter-terrorism, civil emergencies, intelligence gathering and ports policing. It also has subsidiary companies providing criminal record checks, security advice and road safety training.
The Tory note accuses the body of “bankrolling a ‘gravy train’ of ex-police officers who retire with a substantial police pension and then take up either consultancy work or full-time employment with ACPO”. It adds: “Parliament has never had the opportunity to debate the role of what is arguably one of the most powerful publicly funded bodies in the UK.”
The final session of the annual conference of the Association of Chief Police Officers is the annual general meeting of ACPO Ltd. It must seem somewhat odd to go from debating crime reduction to discussing plans to generate income for the company. What is even stranger is that the operating capital has come from the public purse. This arrangement confuses the purpose of ACPO and erodes its integrity.
ACPO’s members are expected to be the voice of the police service as it seeks to advise politicians and set policy. Few ACPO statements are controversial — chiefs have to work with the politicians in power and tend to toe the line.
The impression created is that of a club of like-minded, some might say self-serving, senior cops. ACPO would claim to be misunderstood, but that’s a hard position to take when it can be seen setting up subsidiary companies run by former members. It is still difficult to understand how ACPO can argue to be an independent body acting in the public interest when it also competes in the private sector.
Questions concerning ACPO’s impartiality come as it stands accused of having lost its political independence by appearing to be in the back pocket of the Government. This impression could be because the current group of senior officers joined ACPO at about the time that Labour came to power.
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Chapter 5
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