THE Office of Constable could be \u201cdestroyed\u201d without a full, independent review of policing, the Police Federation of England and Wales has warned.<\/p>\n
In the ongoing battle with the Government over the reforms to the police service and officers\u2019 terms and conditions, the Federation has issued a document setting out the expectations placed upon those who hold the Office of Constable and highlighting its value.<\/p>\n
It also looks at what the term means for those outside the police service, pointing out that an MP once genuinely asked: \u201cWhere is this Office of Constable? Is it in the Home Office?\u201d<\/p>\n
Steve Williams, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said the Office of Constable is \u201cthe ultimate check and balance in our democracy to protect against a tyrannical abuse of power\u201d.<\/p>\n
He added that \u201cintegrity, impartiality and, most importantly, political independence\u201d was at the heart of the office.<\/p>\n
According to the Federation, The Office of Constable dates back to reign of Henry I in the 1000s \u2013 although it was a military term at that stage. Those police officers who hold the office are servants of the Crown, not employees.<\/p>\n
As such, they have access to most statutory employment rights but it is a criminal offence for a sworn officer to take industrial action. Rank and file police officers are currently voting on whether they want the Federation to seek to obtain industrial rights.<\/p>\n
In England and Wales, police officers swear an oath of allegiance to the monarch to ensure the separation of power and political independence of the Office of Constable.<\/p>\n
Police officers cannot legally be instructed to arrest a person and must be allowed to police with discretion.<\/p>\n
The Federation pamphlet warns that \u201cill-conceived reform risks destroying the value of, and deskilling, the Office of Constable by separating the component parts that make it work\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Federation has maintained that entry level to the police service should be at constable level for all sworn officers and that a ground in policing at this level is \u201cimperative\u201d to any rank. It has said it will resist any moves to introduce non-sworn officers into operational policing roles.<\/p>\n
It calls upon the government to urgently undertake a \u201cfull, independent and holistic review of policing\u201d, examining role, structure, governance, function and accountability. \u201cOtherwise,\u201d it said, \u201cthere is a genuine fear that the current workforce modernisation programme could destroy the Office of Constable by default.\u201d<\/p>\n
You can see the document here<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.polfed.org\/Office_of_Constable_pamphlet2012_low_res.pdf<\/p>\n
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