A police federation chief has warned against political interference in running policing – as the Government unveiled its plans to have elected members of each police authority.
Bradford would have its own directly-elected police chief within two years, under radical Government plans to use “people power” to fight crime.
Crime and Policing Repres-entatives would also be elected to ensure the Chief Constable acts on local crime problems.
But Tom McGhie, chairman of West Yorkshire Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said: “I have my concerns about this and direct political control over the police force and chief constables.
“In this country we have an tripartheid arrangement between Government, police and the public – and it works.
“I am concerned about what could happen if operational control is taken away from chief constables by people who have very different agendas.”
The shake-up would also – for the first time – commit the police to respond to calls for help within set time limits, as the ambulance service does.
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