Member News
24th May 2010Peter Smyth, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, comments on the anticipated policing legislation set to feature in the Queen's speech.
We know from the home secretary's speech to the Police Federation conference last week, and from press reports, that the first 'big idea' to be implemented by the new government in the field of criminal justice will be the creation of elected 'police supremos' to replace police authorities.
These people, we learned in the Conservative Party manifesto, will have the power to set the policing priorities for their communities.
London has a population of 7,000,000 or so people. It is often described as one of the most diverse cities in the world, with, according to BBC Online, 300 languages spoken in its schools.
It requires 70 or so MPs to represent it adequately in Parliament.
The middle of Hackney has only a limited amount in common with the outer reaches of Harrow, and throughout the capital there are residential and business communities whose needs are not only different but sometimes conflict with one another, especially where there is a vibrant 'night-time economy'.
In short, it is a milieu of different communities and the supremo is going to have his or her work cut out deciding exactly whose priorities get priority, and who gets left behind.
It may be, of course, that the intention is to have a separate supremo in each London borough, in which case there will be 32 such individuals supervising one police force.
In any event, we hope they will resist the temptation to pander first to the loudest voice or the best-resourced pressure group.
We will certainly be urging that any elected individual listens closely to the voice of our members, who are the practitioners in delivering community safety, and who have the wealth of knowledge and experience that only those who actually do the job can have.
Of course, the promised new campaign against anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related violence is to be welcomed.
This initiative cannot be carried out by the police on their own, so we trust measures will be put in place to ensure partner agencies such as local authorities play their part to the full.
Perhaps the new supremo should be given coercive powers in this respect?
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd
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