Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis is urging local people to join a team that scrutinises the PCC and Staffordshire Police.
Matthew Ellis has agreed with the Chief Constable about the aim for Staffordshire to be the most open and transparent police force in the country by 2016.
Two weeks ago, Matthew Ellis welcomed the publication of the police report by Chief Constable Mike Cunningham on the internal investigation into what happened in the Port Vale and Wolves Match last August.
It was unprecedented that a report of its type was made public and set a new benchmark for a new ‘dawn of transparency in policing.’
The new Ethics, Transparency, Audit Committee which will be funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner is part of the new dawn and puts decisions made by the PCC and Staffordshire Police under the microscope.
Local people are needed from a wide variety of backgrounds and by joining they can help build public trust in policing. Anyone who is interested has until Friday 6 December to apply to join the committee.
Mr Ellis said: “Independent scrutiny by the public is crucial as we strive to set the bar higher and create a new dawn of transparency in policing.
“We need local people from all sorts of backgrounds to join this new team. Volunteers play a critical part in making communities work and make a massive contribution to society.
“The committee will hold both the PCC and Staffordshire Police to account and make sure we are open, honest and transparent about our actions and the way we go about our business.
“It’s about making sure things change where change is needed, so that public confidence is increased.”
More details about the committee are available at http://www.staffordshire-pcc.gov.uk/audit-committee/
People can also ring the Committee’s Chairman Rosemary Crawley on 01543 263970. Interviews will take place on Thursday 12 or Friday 13 December.
