Staffordshire Police Authority

Staffordshire Police Authority is the independent body that oversees the work of Staffordshire Police.

It has 17 members: nine of whom are councillors, eight independents, two of whom are magistrates. Their job is to monitor, review and evaluate the force’s performance and to hold the chief constable to account.

The Police Authority also holds the purse strings for the force. It sets the police element of council tax and monitors the force’s spending. It also promotes equality and diversity and monitors officers stop and search use.

As well as having the responsibility of appointing the chief constable, deputy chief constable, Assistant chief constables and director of resources, the Authority monitors complaints against the force.

It also runs a custody visitors scheme at police stations where volunteers, appointed by the Authority, visit detainees to make sure they are being treated in the right way. This is part of its wider duty to ensure the force is efficient and effective.

Possibly its most important job, though, is to consult the community on local policing needs and work with them to address issues.