Hampshire cops have rallied together with other police authorities to hit out against radical police reforms proposed by the government.
In a letter to the David Cameron, co-signed by Chair of Hampshire Police Authority, Councillor Jacqui Rayment, policed chiefs slammed the government’s white paper, Policing in the 21st Century: Reconnecting Police and the People.
They branded the outlined proposals as “poorly constructed” and said it failed “to meet the principles of good governance.”
The Government proposes to overhaul the current policing structure by abolishing police authorities in May 2012.
The plans would lead to the axing of the Hampshire Police Authority, an independent body who oversee Hampshire Constabulary, replacing itwith a single, elected Police and Crime Commissioner.
The authority is made of 17 members, consisting of nine councillors from across the county and eight members of the public.
On launching the public consulation in July this year, Home Secretary Theresa May, said: “The people of this country are rightly proud of their magnificent police, but officers have for too long been handcuffed by forms, red tape, central dictats resulting in a service that is, frankly, not adapted to the modern age.
“I want a police service rooted in the community and answerable to the people it serves through new elected commissioners. And, crucially, it will be a service able to deliver for the public more efficiently, making better use of taxpayer’s money in these tough economic times.”
However, the chairs of Hampshire, Kent, Surrey and Thames Valley Police Authorities, signed the letter slamming the proposals.
Chief Executive to the Police Authority Jennifer Douglas-Todd: “The chairs of the south-east region’s police authorities welcome any improvement to policing governance providing there is a clear cost-benefit analysis and the changes represent value for money.
“However, we feel that the ‘Reconnecting Police and the People’ document was poorly constructed with neither a business case nor supporting information provided to endorse a radical overhaul.
“We oppose the model of a single elected Police and Crime Commissioner based upon the grounds that it fails to meet the principles of good governance, has not been costed, and the outcomes and value added of its introduction have not been articulated.”
The letter, which was also addressed to the Home Secretary and the Deputy Prime Minister, raises concerns about the cost of an election for a Police and Crime commissioner as the government tries find £83bn of national savings.
The letter said: “The current system, albeit not perfect, has transparent discussions in supporting and challenging the Constabulary in public, and the public nature of the debate significantly enhances democratic decision making.”
