Douglas Carswell's Blog

Voice of the vested interest

Sir Hugh Orde, head of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), seems to be having another pop at the idea that police chiefs might have to answer directly to the local communities they are there to serve.  

Sir Hugh says that we need to preserve the “impartial model of policing”. Is it not a little partial having a senior police officer attempting to get the democratically elected government to ditch one of its manifesto promises? 

I imagine that at one time the grandees of this world thought it unwise to have direct local elections to choose our law-makers. “It could mean the election of extremists!”, they might have cried.  “Far better have the King appoint them”.

But if today we accept that we can safely elect those who make our laws, why not accept that we can each have a direct say over who gets to set our police priorities? 

Sir Hugh tells us that our existing model of policing is “revered across the world”. Revered by whom? The other quangocrats that Sir H rubs shoulders with, or the local communities I represent?

Sir Hugh suggests that we need “clarity” over the government’s proposals.  It is precisely because there is such a lack of clarity over police accountability that we need to abolish existing Police Authorities, and allow local people to elect their own Police Commissioner.

Incidentally, if Sir Hugh wants to swat up a bit on the changes that are to come, he could make a start by reading this.

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