POLICING WALES?

One of the options within the recently published Stevens report into Policing was the suggestion of a single unified police service for all of Wales as has happened recently in Scotland (in April 2013). There are some merits to this idea, including various economies of scale, potential cost savings and the possibilities of concentrating resources to develop all Wales approaches to drugs, car crime, human trafficking, amongst other things. That said I think that we have however, passed the point where Westminster can simply make and implement decisions about the structure and organisation of policing in Wales let alone decide what our policing priorities are. However, our police services are organised on a fundamental level local accountability of Policing are paramount especially if we are to uphold the public’s confidence in the police service. Welsh police forces are working their way through some significant budget cuts, some of which could have some long term consequences for the way our communities are policed. One consequence of policing and policing priorities being decided by the Ministry of Justice is that of policing resources being pulled from one area of Wales to another resulting in some parts of our country ending up with pretty minimal Police coverage, something that is unacceptable. Whatever the merits or perhaps not, of a single all Wales Police service to one side we need a Policing structure that is fully accountable to our communities needs rather than those of the Ministry of Justice. The old local authority policing committee structures failed to deliver proper accountability. At a very basic level Policing needs to be accountable to the people of Wales, both locally and nationally, so before any future decisions on the shape of Policing in our country are made, control of Policing and Criminal Justice needs to be devolved to Wales.

A WELCOME CHANGE OF PACE

It would appear that Labour in Wales’s elected representatives in Cardiff Bay have finally woken up from their self induced slumber and called for more powers over Policing, road safety, speed and drink driving limits, ports, licensing of alcohol, Water, etc. Interestingly enough the Welsh government also wants a shorter timescale for devolving powers in relation to rail services and infrastructure, and the responsibilities for the appointment of the Welsh member of the BBC Trust as well as the chair and members of the S4C Authority. Labour in Wales have also made it pretty clear that any transfer of further powers would need to be accompanied by full budget transfers from the Treasury, and that no further referendum would be required for any of their proposals to take effect. This does make a welcome change of pace from the self induced inertia that has gone before and the changes may well be a result of the possible consequences of a Scottish independence referendum finally beginning to sink in. Not surprisingly Labour in Westminster’s elected representatives from Wales were pretty quick to leap to their own defence (or at least the defence of their own interests), no doubt much muttering will duly follow behind closed doors (even perhaps from the as yet silent Peter ‘the Pain’ Hain, unless he is too busy representing other people interests).

A PERFECT STORM...

The Conservative dominated Westminster government is running the risk of creating a perfect storm within our police service by cutting starting salaries for new police officers.  This comes on top of budget cuts that have forced many forces to freeze recruitment, and reduce officer and civilian support staff numbers with redundancies. There will be consequences including a shortage of younger and older officers and a reduction in front line services as civilian support staff are also reduced in number.

Many police forces across the UK are already under severe pressure, as they attempt to balance budget cuts and a drop in personnel while simultaneously trying to maintain a high standard of policing and ensuring public safety. On Tuesday the Home Secretary announced that police officers' starting salary will be cut by 17% to £19,000. This is the latest of series of assaults on funding for public services which are ill thought out and ill-timed.

The Con Dem government’s unsustainable budget cuts and proposed changes in working practices will threaten to undermine the morale of hard-working officers in every force in England and Wales.  Our police do a superb and difficult job but both the reputation of our police services and the safety of communities may be put at risk. The Con Dem London government’s priorities are clearly driven by ideology, rather than principle.

We have reached a historic low when it comes to this Westminster Government’s absolute lack of respect for the police service and a complete lack of understanding for the important role our police play in our communities and society. The short term decisions made by this Westminster government will have far-reaching and potentially long lasting consequences by making it more difficult for the police to ensure that they are able to deal with crime and public order.

One unforeseen consequence of Police budget cuts may be a boost to the not so secret Conservative privatisation agenda – back in February (2012) G4S a private security company signed a deal to design, build and run a police station in Lincolnshire. This agreement between G4S and Lincolnshire Police was the first of its kind in the UK and may hint at the future of policing as it is envisaged by Cameron’s Conservatives.

As part of the deal, around two-thirds of civilian support staff employed by the force is to be transferred across to the private sector. This contract might possibly save Lincolnshire Constabulary around £20 million pounds but at what cost over the medium term to support staff terms and condition and the provision of services to the public.

This probably a step too far for most people, but, despite any mutterings to the contrary from Labour in Wales’s representatives in Westminster our Police forces here in Wales are in my opinion acutely vulnerable to back door privatisation and further potential cuts in funding and services. The sooner Policing and Criminal Justice are devolved to Wales the better for all of us as this would strengthen the democratic process and protect our police services and our communities.

DEVOLUTION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Elfyn Llwyd MP, is spot on with his call for the devolution of the criminal justice system to Wales. David Cameron’s recent cabinet reshuffle amongst other things signals a marked move to the right with all that entails. What with the court closures programme, cuts in the number of Police Officers and Civilian Support Staff due to public sector budget cuts, Criminal Justice in Wales under the Con Dems will neither be safe, fair or robust until full responsibility for it lies in the hands of Welsh people.

Elfyn Llwyd MP, Plaid Cymru Parliamentary leader said:

"Plaid Cymru have always maintained that policing powers should lie in the hands of the Welsh government and the recent appointment of Chris Grayling as Justice Secretary reinforces this view.

“At least under his predecessor Ken Clarke, rehabilitation and reduction of prisoner numbers were given genuine focus.

“Now we are left with a Secretary who will speed up the privatisation of the prison estate and youth justice – a catastrophe waiting to happen, if the mess that surrounded G4S before the Olympics was anything to go by.

“However, in contrast to London’s regressive approach, the campaign to devolve justice powers to Wales is gathering momentum.

“In the last few months alone I have given evidence to the Welsh Government’s Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee inquiry into the establishment of a separate Welsh legal jurisdiction, and spoke on the same topic during a meeting of the Welsh Lawyers’ Association.

“A separate Welsh jurisdiction would have a distinct body of law supported by its own court structure and legal institutions. It would also include the devolved youth justice system – ridding us of unnecessary bureaucracy.

"Overall, devolving policing powers would increase the accountability of the Welsh government while strengthening the democratic process through allowing those who govern Wales to make the decisions which directly impact its people.”

LABOUR CONFUSED OVER POLICING

Plaid Cymru has described the Labour Welsh government’s view of policing as "confused" and "lacking any clear thinking" after the relevant minister seemed unable to answer questions on the issue during questions in the Senedd.　

Plaid Cymru AM Jocelyn Davies had asked the Minister what actions he would support in order to protect policing in Wales from UK government cuts, and why he believes the issue should remain in the hands of the Conservative Secretary of state in Westminster, rather that being under Welsh control.

Under questioning from Ms Davies, the Minister refused to back the devolution of policing to Wales.

Plaid Cymru AM, Jocelyn Davies, said:

"Both Police officers and the general public are very concerned about the impact that the UK government cuts will have on policing on the ground. Those concerns have been repeated by the minister himself who has been more than happy to criticise the way our police service is being run.
　
"In light of that I asked the Labour Minister whether he would support devolving policing to Wales, thereby taking it out of the hands of Theresa May and bringing it under the control of his government here in Wales. However the Minister, clearly unwilling to give a clear answer, gave a rather confused answer about budgets.　

"It is high time that the Labour government here in Wales clarified its position on this matter as it appears they currently lack any clear thinking on the issue. Either they are content to leave policing to be torn to shreds in the hands of the Tories in Westminster or they should be prepared to stand up and take responsibility for it here.　

"Plaid Cymru wants to see the powers and budget for policing devolved to Wales in order to ensure that Welsh communities get the service most suited to their needs."　

TIME TO DEVOLVE POLICING

At the moment we have four police forces in Wales: Dyfed-Powys, South Wales, North Wales and Gwent, as of this November there will be four elected Police Commissioners. Yet despite this the reality is that the people of Wales have less say over policing in their own communities than people in Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man do. In Scotland, policing has always been a devolved function, it is time for it to be devolved here in Wales. Welsh government ministers in Cardiff will have a far greater understanding of local policing needs and the  expectations of our communities than some distant political appointee in the Ministry of Justice. At the end of the day, regardless of the reluctance of the current Welsh Government in Cardiff to do anything, the Welsh people have a fundamental democratic right to have a greater say in something so fundamental to civilised community life as policing. Policing is only one side of the coin, to make devolved policing work, there is also a need to devolve control of criminal justice.

POLICING IN WALES

Exactly how our communities are policed and exactly to whom our Police are accountable is an important issue at this Welsh election, even though Policing is not a devolved matter. Certainly well over one hundred plus email's that I have received from concerned Police Federation members over the last few hours show that many of our Police officers are also concerned as to where things are going Policing wise as a result of the proposed Con Dem public sector spending cuts.

Plaid believes that everyone in Wales has the right to live in a community that feels safe and is properly policed. While Policing is not currently devolved, Plaid will seek the devolution of the criminal justice system to the National Assembly for Wales so that we can introduce a progressive and more responsive approach to ensuring safer communities. And Plaid will work towards a Welsh system of restorative justice and community policing.

This is why - Plaid believes that the devolution of policing would safeguard jobs, pay and conditions. Showing a total lack of vision, Labour are working with the Tories by accepting their plans, proposing instead to create 500 Community Support Officers – support staff working on local anti-social behaviour issues.

This is a waste of public money - Plaid would much rather see these wasted millions spent on supporting trained police officers as they go about their existing duties while faced with deep and painful budget cuts. In Wales We are facing the prospect of losing 1,600 police officers across Wales, and Plaid would rather see the estimated £14 million Labour wants to spend on CSO's spent on real police work instead.

HMIC (Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary) has said that a cut beyond 12% would “almost certainly reduce police availability”. The UK Government thinks it is acceptable to force a cut of 20% to the policing budget during times of recession - this makes no sense.  Our Police forces cannot ill afford to lose some of their most experienced police officers, who will be the first to go.

I sincerely that wish someone would explain to me (and everyone else) exactly how the UK Government honestly expects to see a fall in crime rates at the same time as it is slashing resources and is planning to reduce the number of civilian support staff and Police Officers.

Following the devolution of criminal justice, Plaid will launch a National Commission on Policing. This comprehensive project will look at the future role and functions of Welsh police forces, including what people in Wales want from their police authorities and the changing demands of a 21st century Wales.

Despite everything the UK Government has forced through plans which will see responsibility for appointing Police Commissioners given to the Secretary of State for Wales, despite the Welsh Assembly's opposition to the move. With that in mind, Plaid will continue to oppose the introduction of elected police commissioners, as Plaid believes that ideology and politics should not be a part of our criminal justice system.