CoPaCC was established shortly after the first PCC elections in 2012, to identify and share good and best work undertaken by Police and Crime Commissioners, their teams and partners.
Since then, CoPaCC has grown to a team of twelve, monitoring and advising on policing governance. We have:
- actively developed supportive relationships with Commissioners and their offices;
- highlighted areas of strength around transparency, engagement, innovation and partnership;
- introduced a series of quality marks to recognise areas of best practice;
- provided briefings to PCC candidates, and to Police and Crime Panel members;
- worked with national agencies to help progress their policies and agendas;
- promoted the work of Police and Crime Commissioners through our press, radio and television interviews, both locally and nationally.
We will shortly be welcoming a number of (soon to be) former Police and Crime Commissioners, from across the political spectrum, to the CoPaCC team. They will perfectly complement our existing expert group.
Our online publication, PolicingInsight.com, provides related news, analysis and opinion on the governance, politics and management of policing, and now attracts well over twelve thousand unique visitors per month, together viewing close to one hundred thousand Policing Insight pages.
As we approach the next round of PCC elections on Thursday, 5th May, here’s CoPaCC’s own “pledges” for the next four years:
- We will act impartially. Just as PCCs must take an oath of impartiality and serve without ‘fear or favour’, CoPaCC will continue to act irrespective of political allegiance or agenda;
- We will be a critical friend to policing and policing governance. Our purpose is to promote constructive and supportive debate and improvement in public services;
- We will do all we can to improve local crime and policing services. Through our growing team of experts, we will help PCCs (both re-elected and newly elected) deliver. If you’re a PCC candidate and would like to know more, do get in touch;
- We will share best practice across policing, the wider CJS and other areas as PCC remits expand. Building on CoPaCC’s Quality Mark programme, we will recognise and commend good and excellent performance by PCCs and their Offices;
- We will take a constructive approach in supporting evidence-based policing. Using Policing Insight’s unique reach across policing, academia and related stakeholders, we’ll help to ensure that “what works” is fully and effectively identified and communicated.
We’d welcome your suggestions on how CoPaCC and Policing Insight could and should build on these, our own set of commitments. Just use the comment box below…
Bernard Rix is Chief Executive of CoPaCC, Policing Insight’s parent. Bernard has worked as a policing-focused expert advisor since 1990, leading over sixty substantial (and often high-profile) assignments for forces and governments across the British Isles, Europe and the Middle East. More recently, he has provided both written and oral evidence to the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee on Police and Crime Commissioners and their work.
