What We Do

Our Role in Policing

Role

The key role of Durham Police Authority is to ensure an efficient and effective police service in County Durham and Darlington.

One of our statutory duties is to consult with people who live and work in County Durham and Darlington to find out what they expect from their police service. The Authority is responsible, amongst other matters, for setting the budget for the Constabulary and, following consultation with local communities, mapping out the strategic direction of policing.

The feedback we receive through our consultations helps us to set the Constabulary challenging targets to drive performance higher as well as determine the priorities and objectives for Durham Constabulary, which the Chief Constable is responsible for delivering.

In other words, it is our job to ensure that local people have a say in how they are policed and to hold the police force to account for the services delivered.

Functions

To fulfil our role to secure an efficient and effective police force, we must:

  • Make sure local people get best value from their local police.
  • Hold the police budget and decide how much council tax should be raised for policing.
  • Consult as widely as we can with local people to find out what they want from their local police.
  • Set local policing priorities based on what local people say matters to them and targets for achievement.
  • Monitor everything the police do and how well they perform against the targets set by the Authority.
  • Publish a 3 year strategy and annual rolling plans informing local people what they can expect from their police service and report back at the end of the year.
  • Oversee complaints against the police and discipline senior officers if necessary.
  • Appoint the chief constable and senior police officers.

10 Things to Know about Durham Police Authority

In a nutshell, the ten things you need to know about Durham Police Authority are:

  1. Durham Police Authority is a group of 17 local people that hold the police to account on behalf of communities.
  2. Durham Police Authority consults with local communities to find out what you want from your local police.
  3. Durham Police Authority’s job is to make sure that the Chief Constable delivers a police service which balances both national strategic priorities and the concerns of local people.
  4. Durham Police Authority hires and, if necessary, fires chief constables and senior police officers - and also checks on complaints against police.
  5. Durham Police Authority publishes an annual plan, based on consultation with local people, setting out the services your police force should deliver in the year ahead, and the targets it should achieve.
  6. Durham Police Authority has a legal duty to promote equality and good relations between different groups of people. As part of this, it ensures people know their rights if they are stopped or searched by police.
  7. Durham Police Authority is committed to the promotion of equality and diversity and aims to be representative of the diverse communities across County Durham and Darlington.
  8. Durham Police Authority holds the police budget. It consults with local people before it sets the police council tax to ensure you get value for money.
  9. Durham Police Authority sets the strategic direction of local policing to ensure that everyone benefits from a better police service.
  10. Durham Police Authority makes sure the police service does everything it can to keep improving policing for your community.

To download a copy of our '10 things to know about your Police Authority ' leaflet, please click on the following document:

Ten things to know about DPA_leaflet