STF NA MÍDIA

Yemen s protesters are bearing
the bloody brunt of these
elite rivalries. Not all the
protesters are independent –
many are allied to a party
funded by one of the al-
Ahmar brothers. But restructuring
the military and purging
the security services of
corruption are among the
independent protesters top
priorities. They want to see
an end to the military, political
and economic control of
Saleh and his relatives. But
they are paying for this demand
with their lives.
JUSTIÇA NO EXTERIOR •
THE GUARDIAN (LO) • COMMENT IS FREE • 20/9/2011
Ill thought-through? We ve always been clear on police accountability
Directly electing crime commissioners will give local communities a stronger voice
Nick Herbert
Paul West says that introducing
elected police and crime
commissioners is "the most
fundamental and ill thoughtthrough
Constitutional
change to policing for 50
years" (Blighted by soundbite,
16 September). If this isn t
quite a soundbite of the kind
he blasts politicians for u-
sing, it is certainly hyperbole.
And Mr West hasn t been
averse to slogans himself:
"Serving, protecting, making
the difference" is West Mercia
s, the force of which he
was until recently chief constable.
I am surprised by his claim
that the first signs of our policy
to replace police authorities
with directly elected
commissioners came in
2009: it was explicit in the
Conservative party s election
manifesto of 2005, was restated
by David Cameron shortly
after being elected party
leader, and repeated again in
our last manifesto. Our intention
could hardly have been
clearer.
The claim that "Acpo s attempts
to establish meaningful
dialogue were largely met
with closed doors" is untrue.
As shadow police minister I
made a point of constructive
policy discussion with chief
constables, including Mr
West – a practice I have maintained
as minister.
It shouldn t have surprised
Mr West that the government
would seek greater democratic
accountability of the police.
All the political parties
had concluded that this was
necessary. The Liberal Democrats
manifesto pledged
directly elected police authorities.
The last Labour government
twice proposed
local democratic accountability,
but backed down each
time. Perhaps Mr West s real
frustration is that the new
government would not be
seen off.
When he opposed the last
government s "scandalous"
plans to amalgamate police
forces – his own would have
been swallowed up – his a-
nalysis was the same as mine.
The centre was already
gaining too much power at
the expense of the local. Our
reform is designed to give a
stronger voice to local communities
and refocus central
government on its proper
role. So, yes, the policy is
indeed intended to strengthen
the connection between the
public and police. Why is
this a bad thing?
Mr West objects to the phasing
out of the National Policing
Improvement Agency.
There s a strong case for more
effective delivery of police
training and IT: the question
is why those who were meant
to hold this organisation to
account didn t ask how it was
spending £500m a year.
If Mr West s point is that we
need a better debate about
policing, I agree. But what he
really seems to be saying is
that he doesn t like the government
or its policies. The
fact that we differ in views
doesn t make ministers "disrespectful"
of rank and file
officers. And it may be "tiresome"
for elected politicians
to hold operationally inde-
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