Yesterday, a lady finally gave up the ghost after being struck by a police motorcyclist on 10th May. The outrider was part of a police escort for Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, the King's sister-in-law. One has to accept that in these dangerous times even minor royalty needs protection. However, questions must arise as to whether Metropolitan Police standards are going down. It is understood that police enquiries are continuing, with more witnesses to the incident being sought. An independent inquiry should not be ruled out.
On the same day, two teenagers died in a suburb of Cardiff after being followed by a police van. South Wales Police initially denied that a pursuit had taken place until independent domestic surveillance footage submitted to the BBC showed the teenagers on an electric bike being followed by the van. There was then a more nuanced statement from the police who admitted that the pair had been followed for a time but suggested that it had not been a "pursuit" because the van was not sounding its siren or flashing its lights. Further, there was no police vehicle within fifty yards of the scene of the fatal crash. Locals later pointed out that this was because bollards prevented the van continuing to follow the teenagers.
It seems that Ely has been plagued by youngsters joy-riding on two-wheelers, which may even have been stolen. Residents would be entitled to some protection by the police, but not high-speed chases through an area of housing. It is clear that feeling in the area is on the side of the families of the victims, rather than the police, with whom relations seem to have been broken for some time. There will be an inquiry by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
Through all this, the conduct of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Alun Michael, has been less than admirable. As readers will probably know, the Liberal Democrat party has consistently opposed the institution of PCCs. They are "elected by the public to hold Chief Constables and the force to account, making the police answerable to the communities they serve" as the official Association website has it. Instead, Mr Michael has acted merely as a spokesman for the police force, repeating the briefing that he had clearly been given. Clearly, one expects a PCC to stand up for the police within his area if they have been unfairly criticised, but to leap to their defence when there is doubt about their conduct and all the facts are not known is hardly "making the police answerable". The old system of chief constables being called to account by a committee of councillors, who are in constant touch with their electorate, was more effective. In South Wales at least, the post of Commissioner has shown itself to be little more than a sinecure.
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