Are you interested in volunteering to review certain police powers to ensure they are being used correctly? If so, the Staffordshire Commissioner’s Office (SCO) wants to hear from you.
Following on from the success of the previous Safer Neighbourhood Panels, the SCO is now looking for volunteers for its new Commissioner’s Independent Scrutiny Panels (CISP), and is aiming to broaden their reach by recruiting members from under-represented communities.
CISP volunteers will play an important role in developing Staffordshire Police’s response to a number of themes relating to police powers, and will be fundamental in delivering the Commissioner’s Transparency agenda.
There are four panels, each working as a small team with the SCO to focus on different thematic areas of police powers, including:
- Stop & Search
- Use of Force
- Custody
- Areas of national interest
As part of the role, CISP panel members will have the opportunity to view Body Worn Video and information on topics they would not have access to as a general member of the public, and as such will receive full training and be subject to police vetting.
Panel members will meet both formally and informally at least eight times a year, split between virtual meetings and face-to-face meetings at police stations. Travel expenses will be paid for face-to-face meetings.
Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime, Ben Adams said: ‘Openness and transparency in the police is a key priority for me. I want the Commissioner’s Independent Scrutiny Panels to represent the people of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, and give them a voice in how the service is delivered.
‘Being part of these panels will give people the opportunity and skills to contribute, on behalf of their community, as a critical friend in examining the use of police powers.’
If you are interested in applying for the Commissioner’s Independent Scrutiny Panels, please email: Governance@staffordshire-pfcc.pnn.gov.uk
