What is a Police Authority?

The Police Authority is a group of 17 local people, made up of nine councillors and eight independent members, whose main duty is to maintain an efficient and effective police service in Gloucestershire.

The Authority's role is quite distinct from that of the Constabulary. The Chief Constable is in control of actual day-to-day policing of the area. The Authority's organisational purpose is:

a) To obtain the views of people in Gloucestershire about policing, and their co-operation with the police in preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, whilst ensuring the Authority is open and transparent to the public
b) To secure the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force for Gloucestershire
c) Ensuring effective corporate governance of the Authority and Constabulary
d) To hold the Chief Constable of Gloucestershire Constabulary to account

We achieve this by: Approving the Local Policing Plan; - Agreeing the overall budget; - Publishing an Annual Report showing the extent to which the objectives in the previous year's plans were achieved; - Seeking the views of local people about the policing of their area via public events and meetings; - Keeping informed about the number and nature of complaints against individual police officers, and how they have been dealt with; - Appointing the Chief Constable, Deputy Chief Constable and Assistant Chief Constable; - Operating an Independent Custody Visiting Scheme.

The full Authority meets in public four times a year at meetings held throughout Gloucestershire. You can view our meeting agendas and papers here. There are also supporting Committees which meet throughout the year. Authority members are keen to encourage as many people as possible to attend its meetings.

You can e-mail the authority at info@glos-pa.gov.uk