Commissioner publishes new Legitimacy Plan to enhance public confidence
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A new Legitimacy Plan to enhance public confidence and increase scrutiny around police behaviour has been published by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire..
The Legitimacy Plan builds on the themes set out in the PCC’s Community Safety and Criminal Justice Plan to detail how the PCC is working with the Chief Constable to improve and embed further a culture of transparency, accountability and ethical behaviour within the Constabulary.
The Plan is the latest action taken by Mr Lloyd to ensure legitimacy, and it has been developed through internal and public consultation by Assistant Commissioner Dr Nathan Doust-Briant who has a special responsibility for legitimacy.
In keeping with national recommendations, it focuses on addressing the most immediate and pressing matters which can betray public trust such as the abuse of police powers, and sets out a programme of support for the Constabulary to undertake with the PCC’s support, to enhance further the levels of public confidence within Hertfordshire.
The Plan recognises that most officers carry out their work with the utmost integrity and the good of the public is at the forefront of their minds. However, there are a small minority of officers who may abuse and exploit the position they hold. The Plan outlines steps to identify these officers and staff earlier and deal with them appropriately and swiftly.
Themes addressed within the report include further developing vetting and recruitment processes to provide additional checks on behaviours and motivations of those joining the service through enhanced and more frequent screening. Internal investigations into complaints and completed misconduct investigations will continue to be dip sampled by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to ensure correct processes have been adhered to, as well as regular scrutiny of outcomes by race and other demographics.
Additional support around staff welfare and wellbeing is proposed with the Police Federation, UNISON, Police Superintendents’ Association and the Chief Police Officer Staff Association for those officers who report wrongdoing.
Mr Lloyd said: “Since 2020 the area of Legitimacy has been judged as a golden thread running through all areas of the Constabulary’s work rather than as a separate and distinct theme. The key areas however remain the same and assessments take into account the force’s ethics, transparency, its relationship with the public, fairness and representation.
“As Commissioner I have a key role to play in supporting the Chief Constable and Constabulary as a whole to prevent risks posed by people who abuse a position of trust by reducing their ability to enter the organisation, and where they have been able to join, identifying and removing them as quickly as possible.”
“Rooting out inappropriate behaviour, misogyny and criminal activity must be relentlessly pursued, while reinforcing the core organisational principles of fairness and equality.
“A tremendous amount of work has been undertaken in this area by my office and Hertfordshire Constabulary, but it is right that we continue to look for where further improvements can be made.
“I would like to thank the public and partners who have provided their feedback and comments on the final plan.”