The
Conservative Party is calling for a system of directly elected police
commissioners and US-style sheriffs, to give the public more opportunity to get
rid of failing police chiefs.
The
shadow home secretary, Oliver Letwin, told the Police Superintendents’
Association of England and Wales that any future Tory Government would
decentralise control of the police force.
He
said the constant setting of Whitehall targets had led to a situation where
local policing was suffering because of excessive bureaucracy.
The
policy would see regional commissioners voted in by the local population and
given the powers to dismiss failing police chiefs.
