Quote Originally Posted by davidbfpo View Post
Citing JMA:

You are on the right track, but to clarify and before some think policing in the UK needs to learn from US policing!

For complex reasons the UK government has 'issues' with how policing is delivered and how much it costs. Before coming to power it was clear the Conservatives wanted to have in England and Wales, in each county, an elected person to oversee policing, called a Police & Crime Commissioner; which would replace the current unelected oversight body. The riots in several cities, notably London, with the perception the top echelons failed to get a grip, added to the government's resolve to push reform through.

In London the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police resigned before the riots and it was mooted that the Prime Minister would welcome Bill Bratton, ex-police chief in New York and Los Angeles applying for the vacancy. That came to nought as by a quick change the post was made UK citizens only may apply. Then it was mooted Bill Bratton would become a special adviser on gangs, that too came to nowt; just attending a conference last week.
Thanks for clarifying that David (I was just lazy to get into the detail).

I do think that the threat of bringing in someone like Bratton served to jerk the chain of the complacent senior police officers. A good trick if that was the intention... which they should apply with a suitable variation to the military. Can you just imagine all those old farts in the senior officers mess choking on their G&Ts? (gin and tonics)