West End Extra - Letters to the Editor: Police and democracy

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West End Extra - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 29 February 2008

Police and democracy

• NOW that Sir Ronnie Flanagan’s Independent Review of Policing has set out the pros and cons of local democratic accountability, London Councils is calling on government to be bold and move quickly to reduce the accountability gap between police and communities they serve.
The capital suffers from an extraordinary policing governance structure that does not allow directly elected councillors to influence policing in their own boroughs. This situation is ludicrous. The Home Office must act now and use the upcoming green paper to enable London’s councillors to influence the policing of the communities they represent. This would allow them to implement such popular ideas as local police commissioners and elected neighbourhood boards. Such moves would make policing more responsive to local people. It would also enable the electorate to hold governors of their local force to account if crime levels escalate.
Ian Clement
Member for Crime and Public Protection, London Councils

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, West End Extra, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@westendextra.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Wednesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number.
Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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