R16-19

The Committee endorses the Home Affairs Committee’s recommendations that: ■ ■ the Home Office bring forward proposals to amend the powers of commissioners to suspend or remove chief constables under Section 38(2) and 38(3) of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 by stipulating the grounds on which they may do so. ■ ■ the Home Office should also provide guidance to commissioners on the use of their powers in both respects. In the case of a suspension there should also be a clear system of safeguards similar to those which guide suspension in respect of conduct. ■ ■ Police and Crime Panels inquire and report into the circumstances whenever a chief constable’s service is brought to an end irrespective of whether the Schedule 8 scrutiny process is formally engaged. ■ ■ the Home Office bring forward proposals to extend the Schedule 8 process to include scrutiny by the police and crime panel where a commissioner chooses not to agree to an extension of the chief constables’ contract to bring it in line with the process for the removal of a chief constable.