Surprisingly, perhaps, the HAC does not advert to the implications of this for the mainstreaming and normalisation of counter-terrorism policing, or the civil liberties and accountability challenges that it would inevitably pose. Inter-agency cooperation is now a standard and essential aspect of policing in the community, especially for promoting community safety, safeguarding and neighbourhood policing generally.
Nevertheless, the HAC found that its potential is being seriously hampered by fragmentation, duplication and a practice of relying on the police as an emergency social service. It recommends that the government should undertake a review of models that enable the police to pool resources with other public agencies to deliver a more joined-up, effective and cost-efficient response to the safety and safeguarding issues.
No mention is made of the knock-on consequences for a blurring of the police role and the associated implications for transparency, democratic scrutiny and accountability.
The most radical aspect of the HAC report is its vision for tackling the structural and operational weaknesses presented by the fragmentation of police technology and data systems across the 43 forces in England and Wales. The HAC stops short of advocating the merger of police forces or the development of a national force. However, it does propose a fundamental reallocation of responsibilities at local, regional and national levels. Local policing should focus on community relations, and local crime and safeguarding issues. At national and regional levels, forces need to pool resources and capabilities, especially in response to cybercrime and cross-border crimes such as organised crime, county lines and modern slavery.
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Once again, it identifies the current structure for counter-terrorism policing as a model that could serve other areas of policing. Critically, the HAC signals a switch from the current policy of devolving responsibility to local, directly elected, Police and Crime Commissioners, to a greater concentration of power and responsibility in the hands of central government which must demonstrate clear ownership of policing policy and funding. The Home Office, in particular, must step up to the plate and take a much stronger lead in policing policy to deal with the threats of the 21 st century.
In addition, the government should establish a National Policing Council, chaired by the Home Secretary, to formulate reform proposals on key policy areas which would be put to a National Police Assembly for adoption as binding on all forces.
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Several aspects of the HAC proposals are not entirely new. In total, however, they signal a radical departure in how policing has been delivered in this country since at least the s. The proposals for addressing the police role in safeguarding vulnerable persons and in neighbourhood policing more broadly will entail a blurring of lines between the police and some other public services. A new approach to Garda training and education is also proposed by the Commission, in partnership with higher education institutions around the country. The Garda Training College at Templemore will concentrate in future on specialist police-craft and in-service training.
The Commission recommends mandatory in-service training and career development opportunities for all and a funded wellness programme for staff.
A new approach to discipline and performance management will be introduced. A Garda Access Programme will be developed to enable the Garda organisation to reflect the diversity of Irish society. The Commission has also recommended a one-off targeted severance package that management can deploy to support restructuring and reform. A new body will supersede both the Policing Authority and the Garda Inspectorate, absorbing most of their functions and taking on new ones.
It will carry out all investigations itself, so that police will no longer be investigating themselves as is now sometimes the case. An Independent Examiner of terrorist and serious crime legislation will be appointed to oversee how security legislation is implemented and to act as an adjudicator on requests for information from oversight bodies where necessary. Some of the recommendations outline significant cultural, staffing, structural and system changes. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail.
Law Society of Ireland urges reform for the future of policing
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To learn more see our Cookies Policy. Other agencies will work with police in multidisciplinary teams to protect people and prevent crime and communities will have a stronger say in how their local areas are policed. Garda resources to support key technology projects will be enhanced and front line police will be prioritised for the early roll-out of mobile technology. A solutions pathway has now been identified in this report where it is recommended that dedicated funding be made available to support our members wellbeing.
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