It is now a racing certainty that we will have an election in May for the new Police & Crime Commissioners which is a key part of the changes to policing within the Police Reform & Social Responsibility Bill currently before Parliament.The changes will fundamentally change the relationship between the Police at (local force level) & communities that look to the Police for protection from crime.But it will also change the relationship between the Police & Local Authorities, who currently appoint half the Members of Police Authorities. Proposals for Police & Crime Panels would mean that by right Leaders / Mayors of Councils would be able to form a much closer working relationship with the Police.It is going to be interesting to see how the different political parties approach the election, but one thing is certain, that whoever is elected (across every force area except the City of London & the Met Police) will require politial nouse.The Liberal Democrat's have decided that their candidates have to be on their Approved Parliamentary Candidates list, which is probably sensible as it will prevent a few woolly jumper wearing beardie's emerging as candidates in parts of the country where they may feel they stand a chance of winning.Labour are not in favour of PCC's, but I can not see how they would fail to field candidates & remain credible.And the Conservative Party Board has yet to agree it's approach to candidate selection - will it field candidates with a party badge, or back consenus candidates?Whatever the outcome these changes will dramatically alter the public's ability to affect & influence the way we are policed at a local level - it is I suspect a good thing that e.g. Manchester is able to reflect local priorities as is Kent, Cornwall or indeed Bedfordshire in a much more open way than has been possible in the past through the current Police Authority model.
