Police Bill needs 'robust scrutiny'

Police Bill needs 'robust scrutiny' - Comment - Times Online Police Bill needs 'robust scrutiny' From the Chairman of the Police Federation and the President of the Police Superintendents’ Association Sir, The horse-trading over the Prevention of Terrorism Bill was unseemly and the same fate threatens the Serious Organised Crime and Police (SOCAP) Bill (report, March 12), legislation that fundamentally changes the way we police in England and Wales and which has its second reading in the Lords on March 14. As the representative bodies of police officers who pick up the pieces of cobbled-together laws, we are deeply concerned that the SOCAP Bill will not be given the robust parliamentary scrutiny that it deserves. During the committee stage of the Bill, parliamentarians of all political persuasions have expressed grave concerns about plans to remove the office of constable from officers transferring to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Hansard, January 11, cols 22-38). This would mean a loss of political independence and direct control of operational policing passing to the Home Secretary for the very first time. Moreover, since all the staff of the agency would be employees rather than officers, the spectre of a wholly unionised workforce combating serious and organised crime raises a question of epoch-changing proportions: what would happen in the event of industrial action? Decisions of this magnitude about the future of policing must be debated in full and should not be dictated by a pre-election Westminster stitch-up. Yours sincerely, JAN BERRY, Chairman, The Police Federation of England and Wales, RICK NAYLOR, President, Police Superintendents’ Association of England and Wales, c/o 15-17 Langley Road, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 6LP. March 7.