Police and crime commissioner

A police and crime commissioner is an elected official in England and Wales charged with securing efficient and effective policing of a police area. Commissioners replaced the now-abolished police authorities. The first incumbents were elected on 15 November 2012 to serve for three-and-a-half years, but subsequent Commissioners are to be elected for four-year terms. The most recent elections took place in May 2016.

Separate arrangements exist for London and for some combined authority areas which have adopted a directly-elected mayor. Policing in Scotland and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly, respectively. In Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority serves in a similar capacity for Police Scotland while in Northern Ireland, the Minister of Justice fulfills a similar role for the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

The post of police and crime commissioner should not be confused with the police rank of "Commissioner", held by the chief police officers for the Metropolitan Police Service and the City of London Police, which cover the two police areas in London.

In the 2010 British general election campaign, both the Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats' manifestos outlined plans, respectively, to replace or reform the existing police authorities, both parties raising concerns about the perceived lack of accountability of police authorities to the communities they served. Following the election, the Conservative – Liberal Democrat coalition agreement of 2010 set out that:

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