Brighton and Hove council duo to hold new police chief to account (From The Argus)
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Brighton and Hove council duo to hold new police chief to account
11:10am Friday 24th August 2012 in Police commissioner
Two Brighton and Hove councillors have been picked to hold the new police and crime commissioner to account.
Ben Duncan – who currently sits on the Sussex Police Authority – and Warren Morgan will represent the city on the Police and Crime Panel.
Their role will involve making recommendations to the Police and Crime Plan and overseeing complaints.
They will also have the power to veto the new commissioner’s choice of chief constable.
Councillor Duncan said: “The changes being made to the police are enormous, and will have a significant impact on policing decisions in Sussex.
“With the transfer of decision-making from a cross-Sussex representative group of members, to one individual, there’s concern that policing needs like those of Brighton and Hove might be missed.
“This is where the role of the panel members becomes crucial in scrutinising decisions.”
Coun Morgan said: “I want to give local people a voice and make sure the commissioner delivers safer streets and effective, accountable and visible policing in every community and neighbourhood.
“As a former member of HQ staff, I want to make sure the commissioner recognises the importance of high quality support for our police officers, and that budget cuts should not mean an ever increasing reliance on private security companies.”
An election will be held across Sussex to appoint a Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex in November.
Comments(17)
D360
says...
1:05pm Fri 24 Aug 12
So who will hold to account the people that will hold to account the person that holds to account the person that holds to account his subordinates?!
still waiting
says...
1:19pm Fri 24 Aug 12
Two different offices of a large corporation decided to engage in a competitive boat race. Both teams practiced hard and long to reach their peak performance.
On the big day they felt ready. Team A won by a mile. Afterward, Team B was discouraged by the loss. Morale sagged. Corporate management decided that the reason for the crushing defeat had to be found, so a consulting firm was hired to investigate the problem and recommended corrective action.
The consultant's finding: Team A had eight people rowing and one person steering; whereas Team B had one person rowing and eight people steering.
After a year of study and millions spent analyzing the problem, the firm concluded that too many people were steering and not enough were rowing on Team B.
So, as race day neared again the following year, Team B's management structure was completely reorganized. The new structure included four steering managers, three area steering managers and a new performance review system for the person rowing the boat to provide work incentive.
The next year, Team A won by two miles. Humiliated, Team A sacked the rower for poor performance and gave the managers a bonus for discovering the problem.
But in Sussex we call this electing a new Police & Crime Commissioner, and appointing a Police and Crime Panel consisting solely of elected local politicians
bogs
says...
2:27pm Fri 24 Aug 12
I see the jargon has already started and the Pcc hasn't even been elected. What were you, a cleaner?
cookie_brighton
says...
3:51pm Fri 24 Aug 12
Warren Morgan
says...
4:07pm Fri 24 Aug 12
bogs wrote:HQ = headquarters. Sorry, I hate acronyms but I though that one was fairly well understood.
“As a former member of HQ staff, I see the jargon has already started and the Pcc hasn't even been elected. What were you, a cleaner?
I was employed in the Communications Department at Sussex Police headquarters in Lewes for four years, taking calls from the public, dealing with crime reports, resolving cases/giving information, sending jobs to the control rooms for response police to be assigned to, to divisional teams to be investigated and to neighbourhood police teams to follow up.
I helped design the joint police/local councils system for dealing with abandoned cars (a system that is still in use) and trained new staff. I left to devote myself full time to representing my ward about 18 months after being elected as a councillor.
Warren Morgan
says...
4:12pm Fri 24 Aug 12
If more democratic accountability was needed, then the LGA policy of electing some police authority members on a local basis seemed a better idea. It could be done alongside local elections, guaranteeing a better turnout and costing a lot less money than the Police and Crime Commissioner elections in November.
peebee9
says...
4:41pm Fri 24 Aug 12
fredflintstone1
says...
4:55pm Fri 24 Aug 12
NickBrt wrote:Couldn't agree more. Cllr Morgan is clearly equipped for the role. But Cllr Duncan??? Is it true - as stated elsewhere on this site - that there were six complaints about him during his time on the Sussex Police Authority? His judgement is evidently suspect, after his appalling "joke" about rape. Is there really no-one better?
I fully rate Warren Morgan but isn't it strange that protester-supporter Ben is in this post? Does that mean Police will be told not to ever arrest anyone involved in protest?
NickBrt
says...
5:33pm Fri 24 Aug 12
Morpheus
says...
7:36pm Fri 24 Aug 12
Morpheus
says...
7:36pm Fri 24 Aug 12
Petegib
says...
8:17pm Fri 24 Aug 12
Perhaps if politicians were to read and digest Sir Robert Peel's nine principles of Policing we would all be better off.
Dr.Draconian
says...
12:05am Sat 25 Aug 12
This country, irrespective of the colour of the party in power is rapidly becoming almost marxist in its elevation of political elitism.
ourcoalition
says...
7:52am Sat 25 Aug 12
Dr.Draconian wrote:No, not Marxist - neo-conservative! Which we should really worry about - just look at the Tea Party in the U.S. - "elected police commissioners", survival of the fittest, health care for the rich..........Now, that scares me!
Whatever happened to the trias politica principle?
This country, irrespective of the colour of the party in power is rapidly becoming almost marxist in its elevation of political elitism.
Police Chief David Couper
says...
12:55pm Sat 25 Aug 12
n.com/petitions/poli
cing-our-nation.html
. Also visit my blog on police improvement at http://improvingpoli
ce.wordpress.com. (Those qualities are: Accountable, Collaborative, Educated and trained, Effective and preventive, Honest, Model citizen, Peacekeeper and protector, Representative, Respectful, Restrained, Servant leader, and Unbiased.) There also is a new book out that may be helpful in thinking about ways in which police can improve by someone who did it: “Arrested Development: A Veteran Police Chief Sounds Off About Protest, Racism, Corruption and the Seven Steps Necessary to Improve Our Nation’s Police” (Amazon.com).
Police Chief David Couper
says...
12:58pm Sat 25 Aug 12
n.com/petitions/poli
cing-our-nation.html
. Also visit my blog on police improvement at http://improvingpoli
ce.wordpress.com. (Those qualities are: Accountable, Collaborative, Educated and trained, Effective and preventive, Honest, Model citizen, Peacekeeper and protector, Representative, Respectful, Restrained, Servant leader, and Unbiased.) There also is a new book out that may be helpful in thinking about ways in which police can improve by someone who did it: “Arrested Development: A Veteran Police Chief Sounds Off About Protest, Racism, Corruption and the Seven Steps Necessary to Improve Our Nation’s Police” (Amazon.com).
NickBrt says...
12:34pm Fri 24 Aug 12