The Modern Slavery Partnership for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is a multi-agency partnership set up to combat modern slavery. It is chaired and facilitated by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and includes partners from across faith groups, emergency services, health, local government and charitable and voluntary organisations.
PCC role
Police and Crime Commissioners are elected to make policing more accountable and give people a greater voice on police and crime matters.
Setting the strategy for policing, crime and disorder reduction and victim support
Police and Crime Commissioners are required to produce a Police and Crime Plan. The current plan covers the period 2021-2026 and sets out the Commissioner’s strategic objectives.
Being the voice of the public on policing and crime matters
The Commissioner regularly consults the public and attends as many events as possible to hear from your communities. The views, opinions and ideas of the public and partners are used to:
- challenge and inform the Chief Constable around police performance
- guide the work the commissioner does in relation to reducing offending and supporting victims
- contribute to evidence submitted to government in relation to national policy, legislation and funding.
Supporting victims and the vulnerable and reducing offending
It is important that the Constabulary is able to focus on policing – identifying threats and risks, protecting the community and pursuing those who wish us harm.
The Commissioner looks beyond policing – seeking to help prevent crime and offending, to support the vulnerable and those who have been victims of crime. The PCC’s work addresses the needs of victims beyond the immediate policing of the crime, helps police officers to be effective in their role, and ensures that as many police officers as possible are released to the frontline.
One of the ways the PCC does this is by working with, and providing funding for, a variety of services that seek to:
- prevent people from becoming victims
- help those who have been affected by crime on their recovery journey
- help people avoid triggers that might otherwise lead them into anti-social behaviour or crime
In 2018/19 contracted services include Restorative Justice, Victim Care, and Frankie Workers (support for victims of child sexual abuse). In addition 64 local projects have been awarded grants for the coming year.
Setting the budget and council tax element for policing locally
Part of the funding for policing, and for the Commissioner’s work that goes beyond policing, comes from Government. The remainder comes from council tax.
The Commissioner sets how much local residents contribute via the council tax (although Government currently sets a cap on how much this can be without a referendum).
The Commissioner will also determine how the funding is allocated – this year over 98% of the funding has been allocated to policing, with the remainder used to support work that will improve people’s life chances and opportunities and help the police to be more effective on the front line.
More information about council tax and what the money supports
Enabling the Chief Constable to run an effective and efficient police force
Operational policing is delivered by the Chief Constable. It is the Police and Crime Commissioner’s role to enable the Chief Constable to deliver policing effectively and efficiently.
There are a number of way that the Commissioner does this, including:
- investing in new technology to free up officer time and to improve the way the constabulary engages with the community
- managing and maintaining the police estate, ensuring that officers have facilities that are fit for purpose and enable modern policing
- commissioning services that allow the release of police officers to the front line
- facilitating collaboration with partners – sharing accommodation with local authorities and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, sharing support functions with Hampshire County Council, the Joint Operations Unit and ICT structure with Thames Valley Police.
Holding the Chief Constable to account for the delivery of operationally effective and efficient policing
The PCC does this through the COPS (Commissioner’s Overview of Policing Services) meetings, which the public can view and submit questions for, and through formal progress and scrutiny meetings, one-to-one closed scrutiny and challenge sessions, and written challenge.
Holding the Chief Constable to account in carrying out their complaint handling function
The PCC has a number of mechanisms to monitor Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary in respect of its obligation to have an efficient and effective police complaints system. These are discharged by both the PCC personally and by officials on her behalf.
More information on performance monitoring of the force and the PCC’s assessment of their own performance in carrying their other complaint handling functions is available our complaints and reviews page.
Bringing partners together from across the whole community safety and criminal justice system to facilitate joint working
Reducing crime and promoting community safety cannot be delivered by the police alone. As the only pan-Hampshire elected official the Commissioner is in a unique position to bring partners together, cross the barriers that administrative boundaries can present and facilitate greater collaboration.
Examples include:
- Frankie Workers – The Commissioner joined forces with Clinical Commissioning Groups across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to fund a new dedicated counselling service for victims of child sexual abuse, child sexual exploitation, and female genital mutilation (FGM).
-
Appoint the Chief Constable
It is the Commissioner’s responsibility to appoint the Chief Constable.