Talking It Through: A Teen-Police Dialogue

Creating safer communities and supporting policing by consent, in my view, are built on dialogue. Only through dialogue can respect be nurtured and understanding developed. Only through dialogue can prejudice be addressed and resolved sustainably. Only through dialogue can common futures and worthwhile policing plans be shared and shaped.

Teenage members of the Center for Court Innovation's Youth Justice Board program filmed a conversation with retired police officers. Participants discuss interactions between police and young people in New York City and how police-teen relations can be improved. (Video here)

This is great example of the work of the Centre for Court Innovation in New York which is seeking always to find new approaches to tackling crime and building community safety. I have watched and supported their programme of work over the years including organising & facilitating a joint UK/US dialogue some while back as a prelude to establishing community courts (See this article about the round table discussion back in 2005 which included Shami Chakrabarti & Lord Goldsmith)

Having informative two way dialogues with young people must be part of any PCC Candidate's campaign. I look forward to seeing the reports. Please post them here if you like.

Marooned in the neutral zone

Some weeks ago (17/5/12), I wrote to Thames Valley Police Authority about how they might take a role in organising some 'shell' hustings meetings for the Autumn. My idea was that once all the candidates were known, these meetings could be activated, leaving the Police Authority a neutral facilitator of good democracy. I received a reply today.

Specifically, here is what I wrote back in May:

May I request that a matter is considered by the Authority – or at least by the Executive Team – concerning the forthcoming PCC election in November. I know that detailed discussions are underway about the transition to this new governance structure. I am sure that all is being done with due diligence and care.

My hope and concern is that the PCC election itself will attract the widest possible engagement of the Thames Valley voting public. The predictions of voter turnout however are not very positive given not only the time of year, the low level of awareness, let alone understanding of this new position and the minimalist approach being taken by the Home Office (and as yet the Electoral Commission). I am not alone in worrying about this – other commentators have expressed serious concerns that a low turnout could benefit extremist candidates as well as damage the status of the new PCC. (You will have seen http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/may/15/police-commissioner-elections-voters-poll?newsfeed=true for example.) I would presume that this concerns PA members and officers similarly.

The PA is currently planning its own demise and members may (understandably) be thinking a little that this is ‘not really our problem’, as it were. Equally, there is a clear need for the PA to be totally impartial in the run up to the election in November.

Given all of the above, I have a proposal to make. May I request that some PA resources are used now to organise hustings meetings for October and November. I would suggest that meetings in at least Milton Keynes, Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Slough, Reading, Banbury and Oxford (as the major conurbations of the area) would greatly help to raise awareness and inform the voting public of the choice they will be able to make on 15 November. The media could also be alerted so that there is much reporting of the events as well. Perhaps the events might be chaired by notable independent residents of Thames Valley – perhaps journalists, academics or others with an appropriate profile. Of course the final list of candidates is not yet known. However, once you publish the dates and locations, all contenders (and journalists) could put the dates in their diaries now and be prepared to attend. In this way, you will be able to assure that there is no bias in who is invited to be on the panel.

The PA may say that this is not in their brief and it more properly rests with either the Home Office or the Electoral Commission. Legally speaking, it probably does. However, I am being pragmatic and recognising that neither bodies is likely to set to and organise such events across the country. Arguably the local newspapers / media channels could also do this (and indeed might be encouraged to sponsor one or more of the events) but in my opinion, TVPA is ideally placed to take the lead in the interests of supporting vibrant democracy.

I am not sure what is the best way to put this forward. In essence I am proposing this as an ordinary member of the Thames Valley public since our selection process in the Labour Party is still underway. However, if you wish, I would be happy to make a short statement at the PA meeting a week on Friday if that was appropriate. Equally, this email may be sufficient and I look forward to a response from the Executive Team. Or you may advise another pathway.

Whatever is best, I look forward to your thoughts. Many thanks and with very best wishes

Here is the reply:

I am most grateful for the considered reply from Mr Hammond, the Chief Executive and Treasurer. However, the letter singularly fails to explain how organising meetings to which all candidates would be invited would mean sacrificing neutrality.

The letter goes on to say that there is a 'fundamental' difference between raising awareness and 'getting involved in the political activities of candidates'. Frankly, I don't think there is at a local level since once people are helped to be aware that an election is under way, their next question is likely to be: 'who is standing?'.

It is good that it would appear that the Home Office is grinding into some sort of action on publicity but I am not holding my breath. Television adverts horrify me and I sincerely hope the company hired are not the same ones doing publicity for Lancashire Police Authority...:

And the one thing I know about TV adverts is that they cost a great deal of money. I am sure there must be better ways of using that cash (such as leaflets to all households listing details of the candidates in each area maybe...?)

All of which leaves PCC candidates more or less in the same place. In my view someone, perhaps all candidates, need to be knocking on a few more doors, especially those of the local Police Area Returning Officers. They appear to have the decision making power.

And in case that does not work, I would also be talking to local papers, TV and radio channels now to try and persuade them to start sponsoring and organising hustings in Autumn.

In the meantime, I would recommend you stay close to @RosBaston who is producing some excellent materials & ideas on the legalities around the whole election process. Her 'PCC Poll Patrol' newsletters are very useful and this one has details about communication and election notices.

Scrutinising NHS Commissioning & Police partnerships

As we know this Government legislated to create local GP led Clinical Commissioning Groups to takeover from PCTs. Moreover, the new commissioning framework allows for "any qualified provider" to run health services if they are successful in a tendering process. These new arrangements are just beginning to emerge into public scrutiny and I attended a meeting last week of the new Aylesbury Vale Clinical Commissioning Group (AVCCG).

The meeting was OKish: the beginning of a dialogue about how local provision will now be planned and delivered. I went along with a series of questions of which I only had time to ask a couple from the floor of the meeting. Thankfully, the Board agreed to address my questions in due course and they said they will get back to me. I await their answers.

In the meantime, I thought I would publish the questions, as I think this has bearing upon police commissioned services as well. If this private sector involvement in core policing takes off in a big way, we all need to be prepared to scrutinise the details of the deals - just as much as we need to for our health service as well.

1. How will public health now be organized – is there any risk that services which have been free hitherto – may be charged for in the future?

2. How often will you be holding public meetings? Will the next one be in Buckingham?

3. How will you appraise the health needs of the local population that you serve?

4. How much is the change costing us the taxpayer to establish these new commissioning arrangements?

5. When will you publish a list of interests of the members of the AVCCG?

6. What is happening regarding the commissioning of private sector suppliers – what plans have been put in place so far? How will the public be kept in the loop with what is occurring?

7. What arrangements will you be putting in place to liaise with the parish and town councils in the area you cover?

8. How will we be able to judge the success of these new arrangements? What success indicators are you putting in place and where will these be publicly accessible?

9. If you do commission local health services from (say) Virgin – as has happened in Surrey, can you confirm that the FoIA will apply to any contracted party and make this a condition of them bidding?

10. Similarly, if a private contractor invents some new clinical method, can you confirm that the public will own the IPR and not the contractor as we will have paid for its development? Will you make this a condition of any tenders / contracts from henceforth?

11. How much will members of the AVCCG be paid?

12. If commissioning involves looking at value of various bids to provide healthcare services, please will you confirm that you will look at the whole value of such bids to the taxpayer? For example, what are you views on bids which come in with lower staff costs as a consequence of lower pension costs in the future whilst recognizing that the state may well pick up the tab if those same people need extra benefits when they retire?

13. What action will you take under EU and other competition law to prevent "commercial in confidence" acting as a barrier to the CCG selecting the tenderer with the most value for money?

14. What arrangements will you be making to ensure that bids from private sector suppliers are discounted to allow for the loss of the past investment in human capital by the state from the transferring of highly experienced and fully trained public sector staff to the new private sector suppliers?

15. What commercial clauses will you insert into the final contract so that any remaining public sector staff (especially those on the commissioning side) can continue to innovate and invent new ways of doing business without incurring disproportionate penalty costs from private sector suppliers?

16. How will you genuinely commission on outcomes and results: and ensure that the public/service users have a good say in the appraisal of the new provider and are able to tell all concerned loudly whether those outcomes and results have been achieved well or not?

17. What mechanisms, will you install in the commissioning process to ensure the winning bidder is not likely to become an organisation with high staff turnover, low morale and low wages which risk costing the taxpayer more?

18. How will you shape and install measures, targets and objectives in the process and final contracts which generate superlative levels of service & outcomes and not the target equivalent of clock-watching?

19. How often will the AVCCG meet in public session? Will it be possible for members of the public to address these meetings?

I drew some of these my Guardian article from a few weeks ago, naturally

What other questions would you ask?

Which leader has brought most justice to the world?

Browsing through old photos to use for the top of this blog, I came across this one which I created as part of a workshop I was running on leadership ethics. But it occurred to me, which one of these has brought the most justice to the world through their leadership?

In recent times, I would plump for Mandela but overall, I would stick with Gandhi.

Whom would you pick?

A new future

This is my reformatted blog to support the election of Labour PCCs around the country and, in general, discuss issues about the future of policing and criminal justice policy.

As most readers will know, I narrowly lost the selection process to be the Labour candidate for the Thames Valley Police & Crime Commissioner. Tim Starkey won the contest and will now be leading the campaign to get himself elected to be Thames Valley's first PCC. I wish him well. 

I have removed some of the posts below and rejigged the order of some others to reflect the new focus of this blog. There is an archive here of my thoughts about Labour PCC matters and specifically my bid to be a candidate that I thought was worth saving, albeit less relevant now.

I am also still very proud to be a Labour Town Councillor in Buckingham and occasionally I will post items that are relevant to my work with and for local people to make our town healthier, wealthier and safer.

And so in the meantime: back to the subject of why the elections in November will be crucial not only to the future of policing and allied criminal justice system (CJS) agencies, but also to the wider public services...

Onwards and upwards towards a just and democratic socialist future where policing and CJS services are done for the many not just the few!

Lincolnshire Police & G4S: freedom of information inquiry

A few weeks ago, I requested a copy of the Risk Register associated with the programme of work that Lincs Police and G4S are now working on together. Today I received their response back. They have refused on two public interest tests:

• Section 31 – Law Enforcement – this is a qualified, class based exemption – therefore PIT applied 
• Section 43 – Commercial Interests - this is a qualified, class based exemption – therefore PIT applied

Needless to say, I am appealing against this decision.

Here is a link to the their reply with my annotations - and the email I have sent them making the appeal. Click here for the Google doc. Their reply gives some most interesting insight into the assumptions embedded in private sector partnerships...

Please watch this space...

PCC Elections: a chance to vote against privatisation

My local newspaper ( The Buckingham Advertiser) published this letter of mine on Friday 7 April

Dear Editor

The Health and Social Care Act has now become law. The Government’s plans to create an NHS that will look more like an nH$ will now go ahead: there will be less ‘National’ as budgets are split into local clinical commissioning groups and a greater focus on making profit. Let us hope the H for health remains at the centre, but I worry.

And let us not forget this law has been made by the Government when there was no mention of it in the Coalition Agreement and from a Prime Minister who specifically said there would be no top down reorganisation of the NHS on his watch. The Government also refused to publish the risk register despite losing an appeal to the (Freedom of) Information Commissioner. I believe this will be a deeply unpopular change as people observe the NHS sliding stealthily into privatisation where profit rather than community health will be the measure of success.

Meanwhile the Government is also planning to ‘open up the market’ in probation and police services (privatise in other words). On Tuesday this week, the Ministry of Justice published its plans for the future of probation services and whilst some areas were ruled out being open to competition (such as advice to courts) many other areas will become subject to such competition under European Union rules. There are warm words in the white paper about social enterprises and charities taking over such services but I think we can all be sure that it will be large commercial organisations who will win the lion’s share of this new business. Profit will become the motivation rather than seeking to ensure that there is less crime and reoffending in our communities.

And a few weeks ago, West Midlands and Surrey police services published an invitation to commercial organisations to bid to become strategic partners. Thames Valley police are also possibly involved as this matter proceeds. Some politicians and managers in the police will try to persuade you that this all about innovation and efficiency – and not about cuts and profits. But what do you think: will we be having police ‘costables’ patrolling our streets soon? Will decisions about which crimes to investigate or prevent be based upon which are more profitable rather which result in less harm to local people? I am worried. Perhaps you are too.

So what is to be done about our local police, probation and health services? Firstly I would invite everyone who reads this letter to keep their eyes and ears open. Please let me know if you come across instances where you think that profit and private sector interests are getting in the way of good public service. You may even wish to write to this paper to let us all know.

And secondly, I would ask you to start thinking now about how you might cast your vote on November 15 this year. On this date you will have the chance to vote for the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner. This is a new position and replaces the local police authority. Will you want to vote for someone who is very keen on privatisation and ‘opening up the market’ in police and justice services? Or will you want to vote for someone who is very worried and sceptical about the ‘benefits’ that outsourcing may bring? November 15 will be your opportunity to register your vote against rampant privatisation of public services. 

Please make a date in your diary now.

Jon Harvey

Police Privatisation 999 (Unite video)

Great video from (my union) Unite - explaining the threat (and possible reality) of police privatisation

More information about the Unite campaign here

A Bit of Fry and Laurie - Privatisation of the Police

If you have not seen this you tube clip of this 20 year old sketch - I highly recommend it!

This video was shown today at the Police Federation Conference in Bournemouth with Theresa "April" May in attendance. She did not find it funny - but then nor did Paul McKeever the Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales - who said it was funny once but now it is becoming true.

A comment from the floor:

And I tweeted:

Yvette Cooper impresses the Police Federation

The Police Federation of England & Wales gave a warm welcome to our Shadow Home Secretary today when she spoke to them at their conference in Bournemouth.

Her full speech can be found here: http://www.labour.org.uk/speech-to-police-federation-conference-2012,2012-05-15

I won't reprint it all naturally but here are some choice quotes:

The public need to be confident decisions are being taken in the interests of public safety, the community or justice, not distorted by contract or profit. We don’t want private companies on the beat on our public streets, we want crown servants, public servants, police officers doing the job to keep us safe. 

... 

Chaotic, fragmented, contradictory changes. Cuts and confusion putting at risk the very best of British policing. With no vision in its place. That’s not reform. It is destructive chaos. This Government is giving reform a bad name. 

... 

Over 30,000 police officers gathered on the streets of London last Thursday. Constables, sergeants, inspectors, superintendents and chief constables. Police officers on their rest day, taking annual leave, slipping in before the night shift... Officers from across the country who know that their forces are facing a cliff edge, worried that the service to the public is falling, and afraid that crime and public safety are being put at risk. Because the Government is cutting too far and too fast. Hitting jobs and the economy. But also putting public safety at risk.

... 

I believe we can work together again – the police and communities, forces, councils, voluntary sector, businesses and government all pulling in the same direction to do more not less to keep people safe. But it needs the Government, the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary to change course before it is too late.

...

It was received very well by officers tweeting from the conference floor, for example

>> Makes mental note: must get Yvette down to a public meeting in Thames Valley when the public campaign begins! <<

Victim Support Petition: please sign

Javed Khan - CEO of Victim Support is very worried about current government proposals to dismantle the national structure in favour of devolving power to Police & Crime Commissioners to organise. This is very worrying as we could end up with a postcode lottery of support for people in great distress.

This is the text of Javed's e-petition - I urge you to sign it here

Don’t abandon victims of crime – a national backbone of support is essential to help those in need

We the people petition the Government to reconsider proposals in its consultation document 'Getting it right for victims and witnesses', to purchase help for victims and witnesses through the new police and crime commissioners.

Dismantling the current system will lead to patchy and inconsistent help for those most in need of support.

Victims of crime deserve effective, quality support in their time of need, wherever they live. A national service delivered locally is the only way to secure this.

Don’t let victims suffer twice.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/33040

10 May 2012: Big Day Out

Today I joined at least 35,000* off-duty police officers and staff on a walk around London. I went support of their massive concerns about what I call the triple threat of

• Cuts to core services (as the badges said: Cutting police by 20% is criminal)
• Privatisation and the introduction of the profit motive to policing
• Draconian changes to their working conditions 

It takes a rare Government and Home Secretary to rouse such anger, concern and dismay amongst so many police workers. I spoke to many and their stories were all broadly similar: they want to do the very best for the communities they serve... but Government action is really getting in the way.

As the placards said they believe that policing is vocation not an opportunity to make a fast buck. They feel stretched to near breaking point and feel desperately sad about the people they can't help quite as much as they want to. They are stoic but feel gloomy about a future where private security guards will patrol our streets while core policing is cut still further. And they are perplexed: they thought this Government would be on their side and now they feel betrayed.

If selected and then elected as PCC for Thames Valley, I will make this promise: I will use every smidgeon of my powers and every drop of my leadership influence to ensure that Thames Police officers and staff are honoured, respected, supported, resourced, empowered and liberated to serve the communities and people of Thames Valley so that there is less crime, less fear of crime and more community safety for all.

And a day out would not be complete without souvenir photos. You can see mine here.


*some reliable sources from the Met put the figure nearer 70,000

3 May 2012: Day Out in the Rain

On election day, I helped Milton Keynes Labour Party get out the vote. It poured with rain most of the time which is usually means low turnout and fewer good results Labour. But that did not happen! MK Labour managed to win all their target seats and are now the second biggest party in the council - a really very positive result.

Indeed across the country Labour has done exceptionally well. More and more of the voters are recognising that they can trust us to run government well - fairly and economically - in the interests of the many not the few.

This bodes well for the election in November when I am hopeful that people around the country and here in Thames Valley will be electing Labour Police & Crime Commissioners.

Meanwhile a couple of pics - first the team in MK North who welcomed me - together we helped get Paul Williams elected as the councillor for Campbell Park. Well done Paul! (He is the one with the glasses.)

And here is my rosette that fell off my coat when the cardboard got too soggy!

Campaign video: A Labour PCC in Thames Valley

I have just created this video to talk about why Labour will be campaigning to win in all 41 areas where Police & Crime Commissioners will be elected - including, of course, here in Thames Valley.

This video will also give you a sense of where I am coming from and my deep commitment to becoming the Labour Candidate for the Thames Valley PCC election in November.

There is much more about me and my ideas below including:

• About me and what I bring to the campaign - in a P.O.L.I.C.E. nutshell - here
• Version number one of our Community S.A.F.E.T.Y. manifesto (to be developed) - here
• Links to articles I have published in the Guardian, LabourList and Left Foot Forward - here
• Reasons to select me as your Labour Party candidate - here
• My answers to my own 'Guardian 10 Questions for PCC candidates' (which many people have addressed on their campaigns sites including independents and Tories) - here
• Broader policy ideas that we need to be discussing to shape our campaign - here

Manifesto: version 1 (to be discussed)

There is an idea embedded in my list of ideas to be discussed and developed below: I am reluctant to say what my 'pledges' or 'promises' will be were I to be selected as the Labour candidate. My caution arises from my deep belief that we in the Labour Party should be creating our manifesto after much more listening to the people of Thames Valley and a good few debates amongst ourselves - locally and nationally.

However, I recognise that many people want to know where I stand on a range of issues before casting their selection vote and, in particular, what thoughts about priorities I bring with me. I hope that much of this blog, with links to the many other articles I have written, show where I stand on a wide range of topics. (But do email me if you want to know more as several people already have.)

In terms of priorities: here are six in the shape of S.A.F.E.T.Y. (to match my nutshell P.O.L.I.C.E. things to know about me below).

• Making sure that Scarce police resources are deployed fairly to the places where there is highest risk of harm so that the service is tough on crime where it needs to be toughest
• Helping victims and communities regain and build more Ambitious lives through sensitive and just policing, and through good partnership working
• Proud support for human rights and our historic British commitment to freedom and Fairness
• Enacting real community Engagement not sham consultations or dusty committees that do not represent the diversity and dynamism of our Thames Valley communities
• Fighting the Triple threat of severe cuts, extremely worrying privatisation plans and a ‘morale busting’ attack on police officer and staff pay, pensions and conditions
• Encouraging policing practice that is effective, innovative, preventative and restorative – unYoked from policing that does not work

Tackling harm and hate: domestic violence and more

The figures on domestic violence are truly shocking: at least 1 in 4 women in the UK will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. Domestic violence accounts for 18% of all violent incidents. 73% of incidents of domestic violence were experienced by repeat victims. An indicative figure for the minimum and overlapping cost of violence against women and girls is £36.7 billion annually. (Source http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/violence-against-women-girls/strategic-vision/ 100 actions to tackle violence against women)

As PCC I will do all in my power to ensure that policing resources are deployed proportionate to this level of harm.

But this matter is not only about women and domestic violence. It is about all hate crime and how prejudice can distort what is seen as important and worthy of attention. Young people, for example, are often dismissed as perpetrators of anti-social behaviour and crime but more often they are the victims of crime and violence. 

As PCC, I will see it as my job to challenge, question and do what I can through priority setting to ensure that harm and risk of harm are tackled fairly and proportionately through out Thames Valley.

Hustings: issues emerging

Several more hustings to go - but here are some of the questions emerging from discussions so far:

• What should be done about the rise of gangs in certain parts of TV?
• Should policing be politicised?
• What would you do in the first 100 days?
• What leadership & management experience do you bring?
• What would you do about Stop & Search disproportionality?
• How do we need to structure the campaign?
• How will you tackle corruption if you find any?
• Do we need a new political structure to work with a Labour PCC?
• What do you think about Police Community Support Officers?
• How will you handle the centralising nature of this new position?
• What is your policy on drugs and alcohol?
• What will you do about making sure that vulnerable communities are sufficiently protected?
• What links should be make to other key campaigns such as NHS privatisation?
• How will you make change stick?
• When and how shall we start the campaign?

The meetings have been interesting! I look forward to the others coming up including Oxford this Friday.

The Police face a triple threat

On 9 May, I issued this press release to the news media of Thames Valley:
_______________________________________

“Tackling crime and keeping people safe is what we all want our police to be doing here in Thames Valley” said Jon Harvey (shortlisted Labour candidate for the Thames Valley Police & Crime Commissioner) today.

“But instead, our police officers and staff are facing a triple threat that is distracting them from this task. Not only are they having to deal with savage 20% cuts in funding but they are now faced with being privatised and outsourced to the lowest bidder. And on top of this, the Government looks set to impose huge ‘morale busting’ changes to their pay and conditions” he went on to say.

“As the Labour Party we are standing up for safe communities and with the police service. We are saying that the Government should be cutting crime not the police” said Jon Harvey, who is also a Buckingham Town Councillor.

On Thursday 10 May, thousands of police officers, staff, their families and supporters are marching through London to protest and seek, even at this late stage, a change of heart from the Home Secretary and the Government. Jon Harvey will be marching with them to show his support.

“I am worried that one day I will see profit driven security guards patrolling my town rather than someone I know I can trust because they are a public servant. I am already seeing the damage the Government is having on our local police services – just as with the broader economy – they are cutting too deep and too fast. The blue line is getting thinner and thinner. And the proposed changes to pay and conditions of officers and staff (who regularly risk their health to keep us safe) will mean that morale will drop through the floor.”

“I fear that communities will be permanently damaged by these three threats and the only people who will benefit will be those on the wrong side of the law! I worry that British policing will no longer be the best in the world if these threats are followed through”

“As one of two people hoping to be selected at the Labour Candidate for the election in November for the new Police & Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley – I know how important policing is. Indeed we all know how good policing helps communities work together – and how much safer everyone feels. If I am selected, I will be campaigning tirelessly for Great British Policing that is public, properly financed and proud of how police officers and staff are treated.”

Hustings number eight: Reading 31/5/12

Reading CLPs have organised the eighth hustings - thank you!

Thursday 31st May, 2012 8pm

UNISON South East, St. Giles House, 10 Church Street, Reading.

I hope to see you there.

Hustings number six: Buckingham 23/5/12

Buckingham CLP have organised the sixth hustings - thank you!

The Council Chamber, Cornwalls Meadow, Buckingham MK18 1RP (opposite Waitrose and adjoining the Community Centre) 8:00 p.m. Wednesday 23 May 2012

I hope to see you there.