Principles for Accountable Policing

By Genevieve Lennon, Nicholas R. Fyfe, with John McNeill and Fraser Sampson

The Principles for Accountable Policing (hereafter ‘The Principles’) are intended to provide a practical baseline which will inform the practice and structure of accountable policing. The Principles apply to the police and oversight bodies. The Principles have been drafted primarily with public bodies in mind but are applicable to all forms of policing. The first section sets out the 12 Principles. They are divided into four parts. Part A describes general principles that underpin all accountability. Part B discusses the conduct of accountability and how it can be carried out. Part C examines participation in accountability. Part D focuses on implementation and evaluation. The second section expands upon each principle, detailing the relevant evidential base. Reflecting the focus of the workshops, most examples are drawn from the various police forces across England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The third section provides a reference guide which can be used to check how accountable the police are. It is organised as a simple checklist.

The Police Foundation, UK, 2023. 35p.