Police and Crime Commissioner - Police Reform & Social Responsibility Act

In September 2011 the Government passed the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act. This Act included legislation that replaces Police Authorities with directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs).  On Thursday 15 November 2012, the people of Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight will go to the polls to vote for one person to oversee policing, a Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire.  The PCC will take office on 22 November 2012.

This will mean a significant shift in power from 17 members of a current Police Authority to one person who will represent the whole policing area. The Government's decision to introduce PCCs is to improve the democratic accountability of the police service to the public by enabling local people to vote for a PCC.

From these pages you can find out information about the role of Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and the role of the body that will hold the PCC to account: the Police and Crime Panel (PCP). You can also find out more about the election process and a whole host of documents and resources to help explain the changes in more detail.  We will put more information on these pages as it becomes available. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us.

To view the Act please visit:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/13/contents/enacted