Followers

Friday 29 June 2012

PCC'S - CHALLENGING THE STATUS QUO?

LETTER PUBLISHED EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES 29 JUNE 2012

Your opinion piece (The new police role is raising questions June 25th) makes an important point about healthy and constructive relationships between Suffolk’s future Police and Crime Commissioner & the most senior officers at Suffolk Police. Whilst there may be differences of opinions, the Commissioner and senior officers will be bound by common values. These are to protect all those who live, visit and work in Suffolk by reducing crime and the fear of crime, and striving to make Suffolk the safest county it can possibly be.



There are though many other ‘healthy and constructive relationships’ that are essential to this new role in the area of policing and crime. Ensuring victims are supported, tackling the causes of crime and addressing offending behaviour cannot be done by the police in isolation. Local Authorities, Crown Prosecution Service, Probation, Courts, Prisons, Social Care, Health, Housing agencies, Businesses, Voluntary and Community groups/individuals & others have a vital role.

It depends on your perspective but I believe that really healthy & constructive relationships are built on common values and mutual trust and respect. They must provide opportunities for challenge to the status quo, in order that differences can be effectively aired. There will always be conflicting opinions and priorities & that is not a new concept. It is however important that these newly emerging relationships are equal and that there is a focus on real outcomes for people and communities.


As for accountability, the message I am getting from the wide range of people I’ve been meeting across Suffolk – in both our towns and in our villages - is that they believe visible and real accountability by the Chief Constable to all Suffolk’s citizens is probably the best thing about the whole Commissioner idea.

Jane Basham
Labour Party Candidate
Suffolk Police & Crime Commissioner

Tuesday 26 June 2012

THE POINT OF A PCC?

RESPONSE TO IPSWICH STAR ARTICLE RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT POLICE & CRIME COMMISSIONERS POLITICISING OF THE POLICE SERVICE 

PRINTED 9th JUNE 2012
Paul Geater makes an important point about keeping police & politics apart, along with the challenges of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC's) ensuring the very different policing priorities across Suffolk's rural and urban landscapes are met ('Vital to keep police & politics apart'  Ipswich Star June 5th)

We have to recognise that policing is already heavily politicised. Whether it relates to Government policy translated into a local context or the workings of the current Police Authorities.





What is vital is that if the elected PCC represents one of the main political parties, they must bring a degree of independent thinking to the role. There can be no place for political chicanery. PCCs need to operate impartially and work hard to secure the confidence of a whole range of stakeholders across the rural and urban landscape. This independent thinking and impartiality will demonstrate to those who elect them that they are worthy of our communities' trust and confidence.

It is important that PCCs do not restrict their engagement with the people of Suffolk only on a political level as it is crucial too that our communities agree with and understand the PCC policing priorities.
  
One of the biggest challenges I see, relates to Paul Geaters question ‘what is the point of a PCC’  and the risk that the PCC role could simply result in ‘business as usual’.

If elected I will overcome this challenge by representing the issues and concerns of the people, not the politics, of Suffolk, and I include our hard working police officers, staff and volunteers in this. As the PCC I will not be a faceless figurehead, pushing reports around and attending meetings with no tangible outcomes.

 I will be visible and based across Suffolk in community, victim, criminal justice, youth, education and business settings. This will allow me to focus on policing, crime and community safety issues that matter to all those who had the confidence to elect me in the first place, and to keep politics at a distance.



Ujima - collective work and responsibility
 Jane Basham
Labour Party Candidate
Suffolk Police & Crime Commissioner