About the Book

The book was first printed in 2000 and this second edition brings the subject right up to date. A lot has happened since 2000. The pace of reforming legislation has accelerated from the previous decade, but a fast moving society has to assimilate change if it is to remain right on the cutting edge.

The book under review includes comment on the Serious Organised Crime Agency that will come into existence in April 2006, when the National Criminal Intelligence Service and the National Crime Squad are integrated. This new body has been dubbed the British FBI and seeks to move itself away from the traditional police service by altering the conditions of service of seconded police officers. The reviewer is concerned about the powers which may be provided in the long run for this new body and the possible problems it may face with individual police forces. It is a body that could easily run out of control and one wonders exactly what disciplinary monitoring might be needed and what transparency will be provided, to prevent a veil of secrecy being drawn over contentious issues under the guise of they not being in the public interest.

Without any doubt the most important comment in this book appears at page 10 when the autonomy of Chief Constables is questioned and a footnote suggests that the recent passing of the Police Reform Act 2002 queries whether they now have the total authority they have always insisted is theirs as of right. It has always been a useful tool for politicians and civil servants to use, suggesting that a Chief Officer's autonomy when it comes to operational control is total and that various dictate are merely guidance. This leaves problems wholly in police hands, but with international unrest manifesting itself in our streets, central government will have to assume responsibility for homeland security. David Blunkett was reported as stating that a number of Chief Constables were not really up to their job and this book highlights problems that have arisen in the past in Derbyshire and Humberside, to which must be added incidents that caused the Chief Constable of Sussex to resign a few years ago.

The vast bulk of this book is given over to the powers of the police under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. These are set out in various Codes of Practice, which the author, quite rightly deals with in some detail. Each Code has attached a Note or Notes of Guidance for further clarification, but one wonders, why they are not incorporated into the Codes. Could it be another case of politicians and civil servants ensuring that they can hide behind the coattails of the police service?

Police Journal Website, By Brian Rowland, retired police chief superintendent, one time President of the Police Superintendents' Association.