Police and crime commissioners to be scrapped in England and Wales
The government has announced that police and crime commissioners (PCCs) will be scrapped in England and Wales in order to save £100 million over this parliament.
According to the Home Office, only about 20% of voters can identify their PCC, with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood referring to the scheme as a "failed experiment." There are currently 41 commissioners under the system, which was introduced 12 years ago by former Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron.
At the end of the commissioners' terms in 2028, the role will shift to either an elected mayor or a local council.
The Home Office claims the savings would enable them to invest an additional £20 million in front-line policing every year, which, it says, is sufficient to support 320 constables. Although the scheme's stated aim was to make police more accountable to the regions they serve, the commissioners' costs and effectiveness have long been debated.
The model had "failed to live up to expectations" and "not delivered what it was supposed to achieve," Policing Minister Sarah Jones told the Commons on Thursday. Despite attempts to lift their profile, she said that "public knowledge [of PCCs' role] remains poor."
PCCs were intended to provide strong oversight and combat crime, according to Jones, but the scheme has "weakened local police accountability and had perverse consequences on the recruitment of chief constables."
PCCs' main tasks include setting an annual budget, appointing chief constables, drafting a five-year police strategy, and monitoring their force against that strategy. According to the Home Office, under the new system, steps to reduce crime will be "considered as part of broader public services," including education and healthcare. The government will continue to fund victim and witness services currently run via PCCs' programmes.
Ms Mahmood said the new reforms would make police officers accountable to their local mayoral offices or councils.
Reaction to the Announcement
Responding to the news in the Commons, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said it "represents a tinkering around the edges of a government that is struggling on crime and policing." He cited rises in crimes, including shoplifting, as well as police force resignations and front-line staffing issues due to funding shortfalls.
Emily Spurrell, the PCC for Merseyside and chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), said PCCs were "deeply distressed by this decision and the lack of contact with us."
She said the role provided "improved scrutiny and transparency... ensuring that policing delivers on the topics that matter most to local communities."
"Abolishing PCCs now, without any consultation, as policing faces a crisis of public trust and confidence... creates a dangerous accountability vacuum," she said.
