Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Panel Refer Complaints Against Police and Crime Commissioner to Independent Police Complaints Commission

The Cambridge News is today reporting: Tory police boss of Cambridgeshire in probe over ‘serious’ remarks on travellers and asylum seekers.

I was asked to comment on this story by the Cambridge News. I said:

If the complaints against the Police and Crime Commissioner relate to social media postings from six or so years ago then I don’t think it is proportionate for the Police and Crime Panel and the Independent Police Complaints Commission to be spending their resources looking into them.

Magistrates courts in the UK don’t generally consider matters more than six months old and I think we should apply a similar limitation period here.

Efforts to scrutinise our Police and Crime Commissioner should be focused on his current actions in office. I was shocked to see our Police and Crime Commissioner dressing up like a police officer on the streets of Cambridge, the Police and Crime Panel’s time might be better spent advising our Commissioner against such antics which appear to betray a misunderstanding of his role.

I’ve been following what our Police and Crime Commissioner has been up to and after his first two months or so in office the only decision he reported to the Police and Crime Panel was a technical accounting decision about VAT. There’s no sign he’s providing the strategic direction and leadership on policy, or effective public oversight of the police force, which are his functions in office.

I’ve no complaint that only the first two paragraphs of my comment made the article; that’s perfectly reasonable, normal and expected for a newspaper with limited space. I just thought I’d publish my full comment myself.

Raw Document

• Report of the Police and Crime Panel’s Complaints Subcommittee

We can now await updates from the Independent Police Complaints Commission:

.@IPCCNews When can we expect a statement on what’s happened in respect of Cambridgeshire’s Police & Crime Cmmr? https://t.co/Dn2Ga0eXRe

— Richard Taylor (@RTaylorUK) July 13, 2016

As for the Police and Crime Commissioner dressing up like a police officer:

Will our Police & Crime Cmmr turn up at the Police & Crime Panel in dress uniform & a big hat? @dave4labour pic.twitter.com/LD3nwWUNBV

— Richard Taylor (@RTaylorUK) June 12, 2016

Cambs Police & Crime Cmmr wearing @cambscops crest on his suit, fluorescent jacket & bomber jacket pic.twitter.com/1Rj3XWHdtz

— Richard Taylor (@RTaylorUK) July 11, 2016

No fluorescent jacket or police crest for Home Secretary @AmberRudd_MP – Why does our Police & Crime Cmmr wear them? pic.twitter.com/0CxySFBnTx

— Richard Taylor (@RTaylorUK) July 14, 2016