Better scrutiny required for decisions to remove chief constables
20 July 2013
The Home Affairs Committee publishes its report on Police and Crime Commissioners: power to remove Chief Constables on Saturday 20 July 2013.
- Report: Police and Crime Commissioners: power to remove Chief Constables
- Report: Police and Crime Commissioners: power to remove Chief Constables (PDF 224 KB)
- Inquiry: Police and Crime Commissioners
- Home Affairs Committee
The Committee took evidence from Ian Johnston, Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner, and Carmel Napier, the former Chief Constable whom he sacked. It also considered the departure of the Chief Constable of Avon & Somerset, and the suspension of the Chief Constable of Lincolnshire.
The Report recommends that police and crime panels should fully exercise their powers of scrutiny in cases where the commissioner proposes to remove a chief constable.
Chair's comments
Rt Hon Keith Vaz MP, Chair of the Home Affairs Committee, said:
"It is worrying that Police and Crime Commissioners seem able to side-step the statutory process for dismissing a chief constable. Police and Crime Panels should make more active use of their powers to scrutinise decisions such as this. We will be returning to this area when we carry out our next major inquiry into Police and Crime Commissioners, towards the end of this year."