ACPO President Sir Hugh Orde said:
“This Queen’s Speech contains much that concerns the police service and we look forward to working with the new government to continue keeping the public and our communities safe from crime.
“Policing has always been about serving and answering to local communities. Those are the origins of policing in this country and chief officers welcome the commitment towards local accountability. One of the great strengths of the British style of policing is the balance between that robust accountability at local level and operational independence. The police service is more effective through the freedom to make professional judgments about how we keep people safe, free from political interests. The Government has said it wants to protect that operational independence. We now need to see the detail of how it will aim to strike that balance in the proposed Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill.
“Also contained within the proposed Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill are proposals on reviewing the Licensing Act. Excessive alcohol use is closely linked with violence and anti-social behaviour and places huge demand on the service in and around city centres in policing the night-time economy. We look forward to contributing that professional perspective to the consultation process around this legislation.”
ENDS
Notes for Editors
The ACPO Press Office can be contacted via 020 7084 8946/47/48 (office hours) or via 07803 903686 (out of office hours).
The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) is an independent, professionally led strategic body. In the public interest and, in equal and active partnership with Government and the Association of Police Authorities, ACPO leads and co-ordinates the direction and development of the police service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In times of national need ACPO, on behalf of all chief officers, coordinates the strategic policing response.
ACPO’s 356 members consist of 261 Chief Police Officers from the Home forces of Assistant Chief Constable rank (Commanders in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police) and above, plus 74 Senior Police Staff members from the 44 forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Non Home forces such as British Transport Police and States of Jersey Police have 16 Chief Police Officer members.
