STORY
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced plans to restore ministers’ statutory powers to force the retirement, resignation or suspension of chief constables on performance grounds, saying the public expect action when police leadership “damagingly” fails.
Under the proposals, Home Secretaries would once again be able to dismiss chief constables who are judged to have failed their communities. The power was removed in 2011 through the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act, leaving police and crime commissioners as the only figures with the formal ability to dismiss a chief constable.
The Home Office said the change follows findings by His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary of significant leadership failings in West Midlands Police after the force recommended banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending a match against Aston Villa.
Mahmood said the government would “soon reintroduce” the Home Secretary’s power to dismiss chief constables, framing it as part of a wider effort to make senior police leaders more accountable to Parliament and the public. The Home Office said sweeping police reforms will be set out later this month.