Avon and Somerset Constabulary
Avon and Somerset Constabulary polices a population of almost 1.6 million people and 1,855 square miles which covers city centres to rural areas as well as holiday resorts and industrial complexes.
In order to police this complex area and ensure a community presencethw Constabulary is broken down into six Basic Command Units (BCUs); Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset, Somerset West, Somerset East and North Somerset.
The Chief Constable and Chief Officer team are based at the Constabulary Headquarters in Portishead.
Avon and Somerset Police Authority
The Avon and Somerset Police Authority are an independent body of local people who make sure that local residents have an efficient and effective police service.
There are 17 members, including nine councillor members, appointed by the local councils and eight independent members who are selected following a recruitment process.
What the Avon and Somerset Police Authority do:
We set the strategic direction for the Constabulary and are responsible for:
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Setting the police budget and deciding how much council tax should be raised for policing.
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Appointing the Chief Constable and senior police officers.
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Consulting widely with local people to find out what they want from their local police and setting targets for achievement.
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Making sure community views and priorities are reflected in the policing of Avon and Somerset.
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Monitoring how well the police perform against the targets we set them.
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Publishing a three year plan and an annual plan which tells local people what they can expect from their police service and reports back at the end of the year.
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Making sure local people get best value from their local police.
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Promoting equality for all.
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Holding the Chief Constable to account on behalf of local communities
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Monitoring the handling of complaints from the general public
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Dealing with complaints against Chief Officers including any disciplinary action.
We also...
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Inform the public of their rights regarding police stops and monitor the Constabulary’s use of them.
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Operate the Independent Custody Visiting scheme, through which trained members of the community check on the conditions of detainees in police custody
