New Kent Police chief says jobs could go – as well as his?

  Jobs could go says Ian Learmonth, Kent police's new Chief Constable talking about cuts, as reported by the BBC, his included if reports elsewhere (KM) are anything to go by as the government are discussing proposals to have directly elected police chiefs rather than selection on the whim of local police authorities, such as that headed up by Ann Barnes in Kent.

Quite what the police authority actually does is frankly bit of a mystery, apart I assume from choosing new police chief constables, and maybe meeting occasionally, to agree how wonderful Kent police is and remarking, on how young chief constables are looking these days, over tea and biscuits.

Still one thing I have actually been meaning to do, is to write to Ann Barnes and ask why her or rather our police authority, haven't been more proactive in asking Kent Police to apologise to victims, of the more high profile and in some cases illegal treatment of the public and all those outrageous scenes at the Climate Camp protests.

As far as I know Ian Learmonth is untarnished by such embarrassing incidents, and lets hope his time in Kent is an improvement on Mike Fuller's reign. For myself I don't think electing police officers is necessarily a good idea, as this will result in police becoming politicians, which if Westminster is any guide would result in some very dodgy types.