Home Secretary to restore power to sack chief constables
The Home Secretary is to reintroduce the power to sack “failing” chief constables under plans announced today (January 14).
The new laws will hand Home Secretaries statutory powers to force the retirement, resignation or suspension of chief constables on performance grounds.
Currently, it is only police and crime commissioners who hold the power to dismiss a chief constable.
This comes after His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary found significant failings among the leadership of West Midlands Police after it recommended banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending a match against Aston Villa.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “When a chief constable is responsible for a damaging failure of leadership, the public rightly expect the Home Secretary to act. And I intend to restore their ability to do so.
“This Government will soon reintroduce the Home Secretary’s power to dismiss chief constables.”
The Conservatives removed the power in 2011, when Theresa May was Home Secretary and Nick Timothy was Special Adviser in the Home Office, through the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.
Ms Mahmood has also pledged to make police leaders accountable to Parliament and the public ahead of sweeping police reforms to be announced later this month.