Ten years of Police and Crime Commissioners

Tuesday 15 November marks exactly ten years since the first cohort of Police and Crime Commissioners were elected by local communities across England and Wales. Today, four of the 43 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are also responsible for fire governance in their area.

The role of the PCC is to be the voice of the people and hold the police to account. They are responsible for the totality of policing.

Marc Jones is the Chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC). Launching the ’10 years of making a difference’ campaign earlier this year he said that PCCs were putting victims at the heart of the criminal justice system, working to cut crime and reducing reoffending. “We are more than ever holding the police to account for high quality policing and providing more transparency about how they deliver policing.”

The APCC has spent this anniversary year highlighting themes of work to demonstrate ‘making a difference’. This ranges from helping to end violence against women and girls to restoring public confidence and trust in policing.

The legal basis for PCCs comes from the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 and PCCs are re-elected every four years.