2014 will see accountability, transparency and openness as a top priority for Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis.
He is aiming for Staffordshire to be the most open and transparent police force in the country by 2016, an ambition which is shared by the Chief Constable
The new Ethics, Transparency, Audit Committee is one of the PCC’s drivers that opens up the police to even greater public scrutiny. The new panel made up of local people, established and funded by the Commissioner, will play a key role in the new dawn of transparency, putting decisions made by the PCC himself and Staffordshire Police under the spotlight.
And as part of the new culture, a roll out of body cams to all frontline officers including PCSOs, Special Constables and armed response, which started in October, will be completed in April. The body cams which have been trialled are providing vital visual evidence and improving transparency when dealing with the public. Early evidence also suggests that they are acting as a deterrent when dealing with offenders and could be invaluable in instances where there are complaints against officers.
The drive to be honest and transparent has also seen the publication of some types of report on police performance in Staffordshire, which have previously not been published, now made public.
Mr Ellis said: “This is about setting the benchmark high in Staffordshire for others to follow by engendering a ‘new dawn of transparency in policing’.
“It’s about rigorous efforts to ensure everything that’s done is open, honest and transparent so that public confidence across policing and criminal justice is improved.
“From body cams which will revolutionise evidence gathering and help ensure complaints are dealt with more efficiently and cost effectively, to greater input from the public at both the strategic and local level, the work we have started in Staffordshire has the potential to shine a brighter light than ever before on the often difficult work of the police. The technology is fundamental to transforming policing both in terms of saving time and the transparency it brings.
“Local people can expect to hear more and more about the work of the police, and particularly about where things have gone well but also where they haven’t. Ensuring that happens is at the heart of my responsibilities as Police and Crime Commissioner.”
