In effect they'll be replacing the police authorities with a single person, so from an operational perspective zero difference. They'll have much the same remit, responsibilities and limited powers of the old police authorities, but vested in a single elected person.
Despite what sone of these people think, they will not be running any police forces.
Certainly where I work the relationship between Specials, PCSOs and Officers is very positive. Nationally police officers outnumber PCSOs around 13 to 1, so the reality is that they are still one of the least visible faces of policing.
We had a visit from the Chief Con the other day who came to give a bit of a chat. According to him the number of PCSOs will remain the same. As for the cops, for some time now theres' been a bit of a crusade to get Police Officers to do what they are paid for and not occupy admin positions. There are still a number who still get the pay, shift allowance yet work, largely, Monday to Friday from 8 to 4.
My understanding is the same as Drago's in as much as a single Police and Crime Commissioner will replace an entire Police Authority. Personally, I don't have a lot of faith in the concept of political control of the Police despite the fact there is always an element of political control, it's just a little too close and one dimensional. There are arguments both ways of course. A single Commissioner could, for example get an initiative underway more quickly than a committee/authority and it could be more focused. However, although slower and probably watered down, I do think there's more chance of of fair and equitable decisions from a Police Authority than an individual.
By now of course we all know the results and in Mancland we've got Tony Lloyd the former Labour MP. At least he's been an MP in the city for quite a few years now.
