Community Consultation has been at the heart of successive government policy in recent years for policing'. Explain how this as evolved, paying particular attention to Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and Police Act 1996
'Community Consultation has been at the heart of successive government policy in recent years for policing'.
Explain how this as evolved, paying particular attention to Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and Police Act 1996.
STUDENT REF:
B.A. CRIMINOLOGY WITH LAW.
Word count: 1500
Total 7 Pages
COMMUNITY CONSULTATION - POLICE AND CRIMINAL EVIDENCE ACT 1984 AND POLICE ACT 1996.
Introduction: firstly it was introduced late 70s and early 80s when a need of police and community consultation was first realised. It was meant to get help from local community to stop or reduce crime by the way of consulting them. Later some amendments were introduced to community consultation under Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and Police Act 1996.
Definition: Consultation is defined as a process of dialogue that leads to a decision. This is a useful working definition as it implies an on-going exchange of ideas and information, not a one-off event. It also highlights the importance of consultation being closely related to decisions - there is little point in consulting about our policies and services if they are not going to be reviewed.
Aim: The aim of policing community consultation is to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, improve performance and increase public reassurance and visibility.
The only way for the police authority to get things right is to listen to, and involve, the people police serve.
Need - Police Authority need to consult in order to:
* Fulfil statutory requirements (The Police and Criminal Evidence Act of 1984 as amended by the Police Act of 1996, created a statutory responsibility for police authorities to consult with the public on policing matters, namely the annual budget and the setting of the policing precept for council tax. The Crime & Disorder Act 1998 and the Best Value obligation on the police authority have meant that it has adapted its consultative arrangements to meet the new requirements).
* Evaluate performance
* Identify reasons for good or bad performance
* Establish a citizen focus to our policing
* Monitor and improve public satisfaction levels
* Generate ideas
* Find solutions to problems
* Determine priorities
* Choose between options
* Review progress
* Strengthen community engagement by showing people they can make a difference
Importance and Responsibility:-
This is now a legal responsibility for community consultation and, in partnership with police, will help to shape policing by consulting with general public. This mechanism of police-community consultation had its origins in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The balance between the Chief Constable's operational independence and the ...
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* Monitor and improve public satisfaction levels
* Generate ideas
* Find solutions to problems
* Determine priorities
* Choose between options
* Review progress
* Strengthen community engagement by showing people they can make a difference
Importance and Responsibility:-
This is now a legal responsibility for community consultation and, in partnership with police, will help to shape policing by consulting with general public. This mechanism of police-community consultation had its origins in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The balance between the Chief Constable's operational independence and the Police Authority's oversight role was established by the Police Act 1964.
This act provided Chief Constables in England and Wales with the responsibility for the 'direction and control' of their force, and required police authorities 'to secure the maintenance of an adequate and efficient police force for the area'. Police authorities were able to ask Chief Constables to provide reports.
The Scarman Report 1981 was an important watershed. Scarman argued that insufficient liaison between the police and the community contributed to a series of serious inner city disturbances and this underlined the withdrawal of the community's consent. Scarman concluded that 'a police force which does not consult will not be efficient' and emphasised that the police must be as open as possible with the public. He recommended the statutory introduction of consultation.
Consultation in policing has vital importance. Section 106 of the Police and Criminal Evidence (PACE)ACT 1984, made consultation statutory and tasked police authorities with obtaining the views of people in an area about matters concerning the policing of the area and for obtaining their co-operation with the police in preventing crime in the area.
Moreover, The Police Act 1966 , section 7 made clear that policing plans must reflect the views of the public i.e. the results of section 96 consultation.
The Police Act 1996 and the subsequent inspection and legislative framework highlight the importance of the Audit Commission's decision principle. Police forces and police authorities must show the way in which consultation informs policing plans, as well as CDRP strategies, and Best Value reviews of services.
Following Pace 1984, most police authorities established community and police liaison forums(CPLF). It is an open public meeting attended by, on average 40 members of the public. CPLFs provide the public with information and the opportunity to talk to district commanders, senior officers.
There were approximately 100 CPLFs per year.
The Home Office Police Research Group, in 1966 issued ''Its Good to Talk''. They analysed the extent to which CPLFs met the objectives of policing plans and initiate police-public partnership. CPLFs provide an important consultation opportunity. Following Act 1996 , however, the importance of consultation and police authorities responsibilities increased in terms of planning, best value , and crime and disorder. Police authorities must increase the ways in which they consult.
Consultation elements:- Each element of consultation strategy is explained as follows, taking account of the Audit Commission's decision principle and the importance of providing feedback.
a) WHAT: Describes the details behind each element of the consultation strategy,
b) WHY: Explains the way in which element supports legal responsibilities.
c) DECISION: Details the way in which element will be reported, and what happens with the results
d) FEEDBACK: Sets out the way in which participants will be provided with the results of consultation and told what will happen with them
e) CONTACT: Provides a point of contact at SYPA if anyone wishes to make use of our consultation strategy.
The Police Authority will seek to develop the means by which it consults with communities by fully exploring ways in which developments in technology and communication may be used to enhance our consultation programme.
The abstract is that some, who call for increased local police accountability have opposed police-community consultation groups under the argument that it should not be a substitute for borough authority over the Metropolitan Police (London).
Such a position fails to distinguish between political accountability and police consumer responsiveness. Consultative groups would still be required even should the Metropolitan Police become accountable to borough politicians. Section 106 , of The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984should be used to develop a structure for discussion and improved understanding between citizens and police.
The holding of public meetings has never been marked by differing rates of success. As the process has evolved a considerable improvement in the level of attendance has been seen and the quality of debate and increased public interest has raised the profile of the meetings and the Forum itself. It increases in public confidence in the police service and a greater willingness for individuals and organisations to actively support the Authority and the Police in reducing crime and nuisance.
The Forum has been on a steep learning curve during its early days, which has been largely beneficial because it has allowed the meetings to evolve as attendance has grown and to develop into a highly competent mechanism for obtaining the views of people on Policing. In my opinion consultation is very important. The production of annual Policing Plan, requires effective, broad community consultation. It is essential that the views of community are incorporated into policing priories. The Police consultative Forum is the most visible, and effective, way in which that consultation can take place. The work of Police Consultative Forum in arranging public meetings is much appreciated by the Force, with the views expressed at such meetings finding their way into the first Policing Plan.
Function: Community meeting serve four functions.
a) Creation of forum- They create a forum for community members to advise police about local problems and needs.
b) Education- They help police educate people about crime and disorder and enlist the cooperation of the public in dealing with three problems.
c) Liberal rights- They allow people to ventilate grievances against the police face to face, unimpeded by bureaucracy.
d) Feedback- Finally, they provide feedback to the police about the success (or failure) of their efforts.
Conclusion- Improving consultation between police and potential third parties is, in my view, the first matter that the police need to work on to ensure fairness in use of third party policing. Advocating the importance of consultation with community members in general and community meetings in particular is discussed and well-worn issue in the community policing literature.
Community consultation since its rise in early 80s has seen success in past two decades. Therefore to make it more successful some amendments were introduced time to time as they need. More successful community consultations, and more creative results, are achieved by consulting about the problem, allowing the community and organisation to come up with solutions together.
Police and Community consultation can be a very effective tool when used appropriately by organisations that are prepared to utilise the knowledge and expertise of the communities they deal with.
Reference:
Harfield, C. (1997) Consent, consensus or the management of dissent? Challenges to community consultation in a new policing environment. Policing and Society, 7, p271-289.
Morgan, R. (1995) Making consultation work - A handbook for those involved in police community consultation arrangements. London: Police Foundation
Philip Daniel Smith & Kristin Natalier (2005) Criminal Justice, Sociological Perspectives. London: Sage Publications
Lorraine Green Mazerolle & Janet Ransley (2005) Third Part Policing. Cambridge University Press
Websites:
www.police.uk
www.communityengagement.police.uk
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