New APCC chair pledges to ‘clean up policing’

Donna Jones, the Hampshire and the Isle of Wight police and crime commissioner (PCC), will take over the position from Lincolnshire PCC Marc Jones for a term of two years after being voted in at the APCC’s annual general meeting on Wednesday (July 12).

Ms Jones said: “The public deserve nothing less than a first-class police service and I am committed to ensuring we do not fall short on delivering this.

“The last few years have seen the public’s confidence in policing eroded following a series of harrowing high-profile incidents. Police chiefs’ have robustly responded to eradicate those who are not fit to serve and as chair of the APCC I will not stop in my quest to ensure the highest standards are upheld and the public’s trust in policing is restored.

“The role of PCCs in the criminal justice system has grown and we are now seeing tangible improvements and outcomes for victims of crimes in the communities we serve. But we need a stronger focus on prevention and, as the home of policing governance, we need to support PCCs to develop bold and intuitive solutions to the problems we face in our communities.

“I want to thank our previous chair Marc Jones for the work he has done so far. I will be working with my PCC colleagues and national partners to ensure we get this right for future generations and build back a police service of integrity and pride.”

Home Secretary Suella Braverman, said: “The APCC plays a vital role in supporting PCCs to hold their police forces to account and driving standards for the communities they serve.

“In the ten years I have known Donna, she has worked tirelessly in the fight against serious organised crime and delivering support for victims. Her dedication to improving policing will be immensely valuable to the APCC and I look forward to our continued work together.”