The Home Secretary will have the power to
sack failing Chief Constables, under
plans announced by today.
The new laws will hand
Home Secretaries' statutory powers to force the
retirement, resignation or suspension of Chief
Constables on performance grounds.
The previous administration removed the power in
2011 through the Police Reform
and Social Responsibility Act 2011.
Currently, it is only Police and Crime Commissioners who hold the
power to dismiss a Chief Constable.
This comes after His Majesty's Chief Inspector of
Constabulary found significant failings amongst the
leadership of the West Midlands police after they
recommended banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from
attending a match against Aston Villa.
In the statement, the Home Secretary said:
When a Chief Constable is responsible for a damaging
failure of leadership, the public rightly expect the Home
Secretary to act. And I intend to restore their ability to do
so.
This government will soon reintroduce the Home Secretary's
power to dismiss Chief Constables.
In her statement, Mahmood has pledged to make
police leaders accountable to parliament and the public ahead of
sweeping police reforms to be announced later this month.
