Police and Crime Commissioners : Power to Remove Chief Constables, Sixth Report of Session 2013-14, Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral and Written Evidence

The Committee took evidence from Ian Johnston, Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner, and Carmel Napier, the former Chief Constable whom he sacked.

It also considered the departure of the Chief Constable of Avon & Somerset, and the suspension of the Chief Constable of Lincolnshire.

The report recommends that police and crime panels should fully exercise their powers of scrutiny in cases where the commissioner proposes to remove a chief constable.

It is worrying that Police and Crime Commissioners seem able to side-step the statutory process for dismissing a chief constable.

Police and Crime Panels should make more active use of their powers to scrutinise decisions such as this.

The Committee will carry out their next major inquiry into Police and Crime Commissioners, towards the end of this year.