Further Reading
- Policing and Crime Bill conference
- Cabinet Office, The Casey Review: Engaging Communities in Fighting Crime, November 8 2008
- Home Office, Policing Green Paper, July 2008
- Home Office, Policing Green Paper: Responses, November 2008
Member News
Coinciding with the second reading in the Commons of the Policing and Crime Bill, ePolitix.com examines the key points of the legislation.
The Bill, conceived in the policing green paper in July, aims to bring more local accountability to police forces, as well as reduce bureaucracy within the service.
The accountability plans have provoked controversy, with the Association of Police Authorities (APA) raising concerns that re-introducing party politics to policing would ruin the "balanced composition" of police authorities.
Despite opposition, policing minister Vernon Coaker told an APA conference that he believed it was only through directly elected representatives that the critical "strong connection to the public" could be achieved.
But plans to directly elect some members of police authorities have been abandoned.
The government will take forward its policiy by setting out in the legislation how police forces and authorities can work together "by placing an explicit duty on police authorities to reflect their community's priorities in their work".
Demand for prostitution is to be addressed, as well as a tightening of arrangements around sex offender prevention orders and foreign travel orders.
Anti-social behaviour and alcohol-fuelled crime will be tackled. A victims commissioner is to be appointed to provide protection and support for victims and witnesses during investigations and trials.
Pubs, clubs and off-licences are to be issued with new restrictions to deter irresponsible drinking.
Many of these legislative changes were outlined when the government published its 'Fair rules for local communities' strategy.
In the strategy, the government outlined proposals to create a new code for alcohol sellers. This included locally targeted campaigns on 'problem retailers'.
It stated that government intends to work with local authorities to make it easier for people to register their concerns about irresponsible drinking and illegal alcohol sales.
The strategy also proposed powers to restrict the establishment of betting shops in areas where gambling is a problem.
There are also to be changes in the way government licenses lap dancing clubs.
Lap dancing clubs will be reclassified as sex establishments, giving local councils greater responsibility for their actions. The change will grant local authorities more scope to close lap dancing clubs and more say over their planning permission.
Further proposals within the Bill include measures to speed up the recovery and seizure of assets obtained through crime, by closing loopholes that allow criminals to retain profits of their actions.
Airport security is to be strengthened, with greater clarity and effectiveness sought by improving inter-agency cooperation.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd