Accountability, governance, and visibility
Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are locally elected and accountable to the public and have the responsibility for holding Chief Constables to account for local policing on behalf of their communities. They have brought increased transparency and direct democratic accountability to policing, providing the public with real say on how it is delivered in their local area.
PCCs have recruited additional officers through the national uplift programme and some have pledged to open more police stations – putting neighbourhood policing at the heart of communities.
Your voice Your police: Independent Custody Visitors video:
Police and Crime Commissioners have a statutory duty to make arrangements for detainees to be visited by Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) from local communities. ICVs are members of the public who give up their own time to make unannounced visits to police custody suites. They independently deliver checks on detainees to see if they have been treated fairly, with dignity and are held in conditions that are safe.
Your voice Your police: New Police Enquiry Office video:
Police Enquiry Offices are opened by the Police and Crime Commissioner to help engage with the community and build trust.
Primary school headteacher, Christopher Tribble, explains how important his school's relationship is with the local Police and Crime Commissioner and says that the opening of a new enquiry office is "just going to strengthen that bond".
Your voice Your police: Young Voices Conversation video:
A key responsibility of a Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) is to listen to you and act as the bridge between the public and the police.
The Young Voices Conversation, set up by a PCC, provides a mechanism to engage with young people to build trust and confidence between 11-25 year-olds and the police.