Politics in Policing
In order to form an opinion on whether officials within the Conservative Party played a role in a cover up into Gerhard’s killing, one would have to examine the extent to which there is true separation of power between Government and Policing and the extent to which any political party member is able to influence Police officers, especially at senior level.
The section works to illustrate how from the top echelons of Government, political influence can be exerted into policing and able to control its narrative and operational functionality. It works to establish further the extent to which the relationship between master and servant exists between Government, Political Parties and Policing.
Referring back to the Home Office and Ministry of Justice letters to me on being unable to intervene or assist in my allegations of corruption in Met Police investigations and the cover up that has ensued. Their fundamental premise in the argument is the essential separation of politics and policing.
Of course one can understand and see its purpose and value. As is illustrated in the misisterial roles, Government largely has the checks and balances in place to ensure a measure of control and oversight.
But one hardley needs to scratch the surface to discover the hollowness of it.
Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs)
Appointed by the public in local elections, the first question to answer is whether there is any political involvement or influence in the roles, duties and responsibilities of these appointments. The accompanying graphs of the political landscape should leave no doubt in answering that. They are overwhelmingly political appointments and overwhelmingly Conservative Party controlled after the last elections. Since their inception in 2012, there has been a consistent movement towards current day, almost total control over policing by the Conservative Party.
Different to government leadership leadership, at PCC level, there is no shadow oversight. There exists only a body called the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCCS), in which there is no oversight, a representative body only.
The APCCS website describes accountability as follows:
“Each PCC publishes their own Code of Conduct but the APCC has drawn up an ethical framework, which was led and developed by Police and Crime Commissioners themselves and which includes a template Code for PCCs to adopt if they wish.”
Surprisingly, or worryingly, PCC's (politicians), are free to act according to their own rules and only follow guidelines to the extent that they "wish".
When PCCs were first introduced in 2012, Home Office intended to ensure an "Oath of Impartiality", but it has subsequently been abandoned and PCCs swear an oath, but with no commitment to impartiality of their party allegiance.
The Oath sworn by most is the standard legislative as drawn up in 2012 which has never been amended since and continues to ignore impartiality. Political masters able to wield unaccountable influence onto police forces.
In other words, influence through proxy or agency.
One might argue that the last sentence of the oath - "I will not interfere with the operational independence of police officers" is sufficient.
But what is the worth of an oath ?
And what worth is an oath without oversight or accountability ?
As much as a grain of sand to a camel in the Sahara desert?
Knowing that there is no oversight of the Police and Crime Commissioners, one would need to understand the extent to which they are able to exert influence (including political) over the police force they are accountable for. Refer below "Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services" (HMICFRS)
From the above, one questions the opening salvo of the Home Office assertion of the Independence between Government, Politics and Policing. It takes on a more serious and sinister tone when acknowledging the oath of impartiality not being recognised or sworn, despite its promise in 2012 by the Home Office.
On the face of it, there are balances and controls, but in Truth, it is exposed to political interference and influence by proxy.
PCC's directly influence and exert control over police forces. PCC's control their budgets. hire and fire the chiefs and influence their strategies. They are the Chief Constables' masters and their employment depends on them.
PCC's are directly controlled by Political Parties.
PCC's in effect, are the proxy and agency through which political influence and interference can be exerted.
It renders the Home Office and Ministry of Justice letters to me as void of substance.
Letters from: (Home Office) (Ministry of Justice)
The next section "Devil in the Detail (Influence through Proxy)" will explore the extent to which the Conservative Party is able to exert political influence and interference through proxy.