‘A Dark Day for Policing’: Rupert Matthews PCC Slams Government Plan to Abolish Police Commissioners
‘A Dark Day for Policing’: PCC Slams Government Plan to Abolish Police Commissioners
The Government's recently announced plan to abolish the role of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) has met with fierce criticism from Rupert Matthews, the incumbent Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland.
In a scathing statement issued on 13th November 2025 under the banner of REFORMUK, Mr. Matthews condemned the proposal as a "retrograde step" that threatens the fundamental principles of public accountability in policing.
The statement, titled "Statement on: Governments plans to abolish PCCs," begins with a stark warning: "This is a dark day for the concept of policing by consent."
Lack of Consultation and Public Oversight
Mr. Matthews launched a direct attack on the clarity and consultation process surrounding the decision, describing it as "yet another proposal from a Government in free fall."
He expressed disbelief at the apparent lack of preparation, calling the plan a "last minute dot com idea produced on the back of the proverbial cigarette packet." The PCC argues that removing the oversight role will see policing become "increasingly detached from the public it is there to serve" and will be "destructive to cohesive communities."
A Popular Move for Chief Constables?
In a pointed barb, Mr. Matthews suggested the move would be welcomed by police leadership who currently face public accountability.
"However, I’m sure that it will be a very popular move with Chief Constables who have never liked the level of public scrutiny provided by Police and Crime Commissioners," the statement reads. He claims that Chief Constables would "much rather run their police forces and spend taxpayers’ money without any oversight."
The statement concludes by questioning the immediate future of police accountability, asking: "I wait to hear how the public’s priorities will be taken into account, and indeed, how the force’s performance will be measured."
The move marks a significant challenge to the public accountability structure established when the PCC role was created to replace police authorities, placing an elected official in charge of setting the force's budget and priorities.
