Archived decisions

POLICE REFORM CONSULTATION PAPER - "POLICING : BUILDING SAFER COMMUNITIES TOGETHER"

1. The Government's latest consultation paper on police reform was launched by the Home Secretary at the Association of Police Authorities Annual Conference on 4 November, 2003.

2. The consultation paper sets out the Government's broad thoughts on the future direction of police reform and is grouped under the four main themes of:

· Increasing community engagement.


· Strengthening accountability arrangements.


· Improving operational effectiveness.


· Modernising the Police Service.

3. Responses and comments on the issues raised in the paper are required by the Government by Tuesday 27 January, 2004 and it expects police forces and police authorities to consult with their communities prior to that deadline.

4. During the consultation period it is anticipated that the Home Office will run a number of workshops and conferences for the public and a wide range of stakeholders including police authorities.

5. In view of the very short timescale, which includes the Christmas and New Year period, it will not be possible to do a wide ranging fully representative consultation exercise. There will be time to consult more widely when the detailed consultation paper containing firm proposals is published in 2004.

6. The Authority will, therefore, be running four focus groups across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to help inform the response of both the Authority and the Constabulary on the proposals contained in the consultation paper. This work will be completed in early December and the results presented to Members at a special meeting of the Authority in early January.

7. Of major concern and relevance to the Authority and the Force are the following issues:-

· The creation of new "police boards" similar to police authorities but constructed differently with members potentially being drawn from a variety of sources.


· Wholly (directly) elected police boards.


· The possible restructuring of police forces including the development of larger "strategic forces".

8. These issues and others raised in the consultation paper will be considered in detail by the Authority together with the results of the consultation exercise conducted by both the Authority and the Force in order to assist the formation of an informed response to the Government by 27 January, 2004.