Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the number of Police and Crime Commissioners who are facing or have faced investigation following complaints about their behaviour.

Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) have an important role in holding their forces to account and focussing on cutting crime. It is right that they are held to the very highest standards. It is precisely because PCCs are visible, elected individuals that they are able to be held to account in this way, quite in contrast to police authorities. PCCs are delivering a level of transparency, visibility and accountability that did not exist before 2012 under the Police Authority model of police governance.

There have been 44 PCC related complaints referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). Of these referrals, only six have led to an independent investigation conducted by the IPCC, and two managed investigations which are carried out by external police forces under the direction and control of the IPCC. The remainder did not meet the IPCC’s threshold for investigation. No IPCC referrals have so far led to a PCC being charged or convicted of any offence.