Government scraps direct police elections

Proposals for directly elected police representatives have been dropped from the new policing and crime bill.  Policing minister Vernon Coaker said the decision had been made following large numbers of objections from councils, police authorities and senior police officials expressing their concerns about the plans.

The government had initially included the proposals saying they would increase officers’ accountability. Mr Coaker said: “We became concerned by the huge number of representations we received from local government, the Association of Police Authorities (APA) and other parties, about their concerns around increased politicisation of the police. “It was a sensible decision considering the level of concern, and we are looking to find another way to improve accountability with respect to the police.”

The LGA and the APA gave evidence to the home affairs select committee detailing how directly elected representatives would fragment the close and effective partnership work between councils and police, and cause policing to be politicised. After hearing the evidence, the committee wrote to the home secretary Jacqui Smith describing the plans as “fundamentally flawed”. The LGA has led a campaign against the proposals since they were revealed in the policing green paper in July, arguing that it would create competing mandates between councillors and representatives which would make it harder for police and councils to work together, and confuse the public about who is responsible for policing crime.

A leaflet was sent out in first asking councillors to support the campaign, and an online petition was set up. The Guardian reported that concerns had been raised over the politicisation of the police following the arrest of Conservative MP Damian Green and the resignation of Sir Ian Blair as head of the Metropolitan police. Guardian political editor Patrick Wintour wrote: “Sir Jeremy Beecham, the Labour local government chief, had described the proposals as ‘potentially catastrophic’ and organised a successful campaign of resistance.” The Daily Telegraph reported that there were also concerns that the plans could lead to extremists or single issue campaigners gaining influence.

Mr Coaker said the bill includes a raft of measures that will reform policing including a new policing pledge, and a statutory duty for police authorities to have regard for the public’s views on policing. Other measures in the bill include reclassifying lap-dancing clubs as sex establishments so that councils and residents can have a say in whether it is appropriate for one to open in their area; creating a new offence of paying for sex with a prostitute who is controlled for gain; and giving police more powers to tackle underage drinkers.