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Strengthening accountability through partnership

We work with key policing, governance, and oversight bodies to ensure Black communities’ voices and lived experiences inform scrutiny, challenge inequality, and improve accountability across the criminal legal system.

Avon and Somerset Police

Avon and Somerset Police cover one of the largest areas in England and Wales. Formed in 1974, they are responsible for the safety of many diverse physical, economic and social environments from the cities of Bristol and Bath to rural and coastal area.

Covering 1,855 square miles, they police a diverse population of 1.65 million people and approximately 679,000 households. The force’s vision is for ‘outstanding policing for everyone’.

Find out more about Avon and Somerset Police.

Independent Advisory Groups (IAGs)

Independent Advisory Groups, known as IAGs, are members of the public advise and offer ideas to police forces on local policing.

Avon and Somerset has one of the strongest Independent Advisory Group (IAG) networks in UK policing.

Although they represent a huge variety of communities, businesses, venues, faiths and cultures, they all have one thing in common – they want to make a positive difference to policing across the region.

There are a number of different IAG in the Avon and Somerset Police force area:

  • Strategic – advising at the top level of our police service
  • Geographical – from South Gloucestershire to Bristol and across the whole of Somerset
  • Women’s – focusing on gender-related policing
  • Young Person’s – giving young people a voice in influencing police policy
  • Counter Terrorism – helping to prevent and prepare for acts of extremism

Find out more about Independent Advisory Groups in Avon and Somerset.

Tackling disproportionality

Tackling disproportionality in the wider criminal legal system.

An independent scrutiny board oversees multi-agency work to tackle racial disproportionality in the Avon and Somerset criminal legal system. This is overseen by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Avon and Somerset

Avon and Somerset’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) is elected every four years, and acts as the voice of the communities, holding several duties. These include:

  • publishing a Police and Crime Plan, in consultation with the Chief Constable and local people
  • setting the strategic direction for the police force
  • setting the policing part of the council tax precept, and budget for the police
  • holding the Chief Constable to account for delivering policing and ensuring the police force is efficient and effective
  • supporting and challenging police performance
  • engaging with communities, including victims
  • commissioning victim support services and awards grants in the community
  • working with partners in the areas of criminal justice and community safety

Find out more about the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset.

The College of Policing

The College of Policing is a professional body for everyone working across policing. It is a public body which is completely independent of police operations or government departments.

Their role is to:

  • give a voice to professional policing on standards, skills and capabilities
  • connect everyone working in the police and law enforcement
  • use evidence-based knowledge in everything they develop
  • help the public, police officers and police staff (including researchers, academics and learning providers, the international policing community)

Find out more about the College of Policing.