A message from...
The Rt Hon Damian Green MP - Minister for Policing & Criminal Justice
I am delighted to support the Police Service Parliamentary Scheme. Keeping people safe is the most fundamental task of Government, so it is vital that parliamentarians have the opportunity to gain an insight into the important work of the police. I know from my own experience as Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice that there is no substitute for seeing in person the impressive things police officers do every day.
The Scheme is happening at an exciting time for policing. The first directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners are in post, holding the police to account. The College of Policing is setting professional standards. A more robustly independent HMIC is holding the police to account nationally. In October 2013 we saw the launch of the National Crime Agency to ensure that national threats are dealt with effectively. I am very grateful to the Police Service Parliamentary Scheme for providing a window into the work of the police at this significant time in their history.