A review of the role of Police and Crime Commissioners

The Home Secretary has announced a review of the role of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). The review will take place in two stages. The first stage will take place over summer and will look at ways to improve the accountability and raise standards of PCCs. The second stage will take place after the PCC elections in May 2021 and will look at further powers for PCCs to better fight crime in their areas.

The review will not look at scrapping the role of PCCs, nor will it examine the 43 force model in England and Wales.

Source: Gov.uk

The Working Time (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020

The Working Time (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 were laid before Parliament on 27th March 2020 and are now in force. The regulations were made to allow workers to carry over annual leave into the following leave year for a maximum of two years where workers were unable to take this leave as a result of the effect of coronavirus (Covid-19).

Source: legislation.gov.uk

Coronavirus Act 2020

The Coronavirus Bill received Royal Assent on 25 March 2020 and is now known as the Coronavirus Act 2020. It is an Act to make provision in connection with coronavirus and fr connected purposes.

A large proportion of the Act relates to the NHS and social care, however, there are parts of the Act affecting police powers. For instance, the length of time that DNA profiles and fingerprints can be retained has been extended by six months and it is now an offence to fail to comply with new measures brought in by the Act such as travel restrictions. Additionally, the Act delays the Police and Crime Commissioner elections by one year.

The Act can be read in full here. The Explanatory Notes can be found here.

Source: legislation.gov.uk

Reducing Pressures on Prisons

The government is considering releasing some low risk offenders from prisons to ease the pressures caused by COVID-19. The offenders would be risk assessed and released on temporary licence.

The Justice Secretary Robert Buckland stated that the prison service needed to “balance the protection of life with the need to protect the public”. The considerations come at the same time as a need for more personal protective equipment for staff and the ban on bringing hand sanitiser into prisons being lifted.

Source: BBC News

A joint thematic inspection of Integrated Offender Management

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation (HM Prob) have published a report detailing the findings of a Criminal Justice Joint Inspection of Integrated Offender Management (IOM) conducted in 2019.

The inspection aimed to examine how well IOM was operating in 2019. The report concludes that measuring the impact of IOM is difficult due to the breadth of cohorts and offence types for which it is used. Thus, there is no evidence to suggest IOM is effective. As a result, the inspectors state that the findings of a 2014 inspection are still applicable now.

The report contains eleven recommendations four of which are directed at Chief Constables. The report can be read in full here.

Source: HMICFRS

Police Pensions (Contributions and Additional Voluntary Contributions Provider) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020

Amendments were made to the Police Pensions (Additional Voluntary Contributions) Regulations 1991 to include a newly approved additional voluntary contributions provider. Also provisions to the Police Pensions Regulations 2015 were made with regards to the contributions payable by members of the scheme constituted by Regulations 2015. Regulation 3 provides for the contribution rates applicable in the scheme year ending on that date to continue to apply for the scheme years to 31st March 2023.

The full amendment can be read in full here.

Source: Gov.uk

Police Covenant for England and Wales

An open consultation was launched by the Home Office to gather views on the principle of implementing a Police Covenant in England and Wales. The consultation is to explore themes such as physical protection, health and wellbeing of police officers as well as support for their families.

The consultation closes on 22 April 2020.

Source: Gov.uk

Research Briefing: Police Detention Powers

The House of Commons Library has published a research briefing on police detention powers. The briefing outlines the changes to police powers under the reforms to pre-charge bail in 2017, the police custody estate and current concerns about pre-charge bail.

The paper notes that the 2017 reforms were intended to reduce the number of length of pre-charge bail investigations. However, there have since been concerns that the reforms have increased the number of suspects being released under investigation (RUI) without conditions putting vulnerable victims and witnesses at risk.

The briefing paper can be read in full here.

Source: parliament.uk

Impact on rape victims of police phone seizures to be reviewed

The victim’s commissioner for London, Claire Waxman, is reviewing the impact on rape victims of police seizures of mobile phones. The inquiry has been motivated by the steep fall in the number of rape prosecutions nationally. There are fears that intrusive methods are discouraging victims from reporting attacks or pursuing cases.  The inspection is expected to last three or four months and is being carried out by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC).

Source: The Guardian

The Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020

The Secretary of State has announced new regulations to protect the public from further transmission of the novel Coronavirus. The regulations provide for a police constable to detain an individual and enforce restrictions as required where they have reasonable ground to believe an individual is, or may be infected and is posing a risk to others.

The Health Protection Regulations can be read in full here.

Source: Gov.uk