Review of the police and criminal evidence act will cut bureaucracy

Measures in the review of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) include giving chief constables greater powers to use back-office staff for routine tasks and simplifying pre-charge bail procedures.
 
The programme of changes to PACE was set out after an 18-month public consultation which found the Act is valued and endorsed by the police, and the public supported the proposals.
 
New measures earmarked for the Act will help reduce bureaucracy and increase frontline time by:
 
• increasing the flexibility of chief constables to use back-office staff for appropriate routine tasks;
• simplifying procedures for issuing bail and dealing with those who breach it; and
• reducing time spent dealing with detainees by issuing guidance to chief constables on making best use of short-term detention facilities. 
 
Crime and Policing Minister David Hanson MP said:
 
"The public wants to see officers spending more of their time on the frontline and we are determined to make this happen.
 
"Through these changes to PACE we will help reduce bureaucracy and ensure the police can carry out their key duties on the frontline.
 
"Making better use of police custody and simplifying bail will add to bureaucracy-cutting measures and free-up even more officer time."
 
The proposed changes add to measures outlined in the Crime and Security Bill on stop and search to cut paperwork by reducing the amount of information a police officer is required to record and so cut the time a search takes.