UK Parliament / Open data

Police and Crime Commissioners

Proceeding contribution from Baroness Meacher (Crossbench) in the House of Lords on Thursday, 28 June 2018. It occurred during Debate on Police and Crime Commissioners.

My Lords, along with all my colleagues, I applaud the noble Lord, Lord Armstrong of Ilminster, for proposing this debate and winning the ballot. I fully support his position in relation to Wiltshire.

I have to confess that when police and crime commissioners were introduced, in a Bill in this House, I was highly suspicious of the whole idea, but I have come to realise that they can be—although they are not always—a force for good. Clearly, they all need to learn from the terrible situation in Wiltshire, and, indeed, the other warnings that noble Lords have given this morning. I have been particularly impressed by Ron Hogg, the PCC for the Durham constabulary. He and Mike Barton, the chief constable, have shown that a PCC can think outside the box and support his chief constable to follow sensible but radical policies. If I dare say it, I think that chief constables can be a bit conformist. I am surrounded by three former chief constables and feel a bit hemmed in here—I do not want to misbehave.

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
792 c267 
Session
2017-19
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Back to top