Police and Crime Commissioners Support Home Secretary’s Plan for Tackling Domestic Abuse
29th April 2014
Following the recent publication of Her Majesties Inspectorate of Constabulary’s report “Everyone’s business: Improving police response to domestic abuse”, the Home Secretary, Theresa May MP, is establishing a national oversight group to improve practice. Vera Baird QC has asked to be put onto that group
The remit of the new national oversight group is to bring together influential people who are committed to working with partners to share ideas, thinking and a desire to see a best practice strategy implemented by the government to help further enhance the work of tackling domestic abuse. The new group will be chaired by the Home Secretary.
In Northumbria there are around 28000 reports of domestic abuse year; it is an issue that local residents have told Police & Crime Commissioner, Vera Baird QC that they want to see addressed and it is one of her priorities.
Tackling domestic abuse has no party boundaries and Police and Crime Commissioners have been working together, with Mrs Baird working in particular with Katy Bourne the Conservative PCC for Sussex. Vera Baird and Katy Bourne have both requested that the two PCCs sit on this oversight group.
Vera Baird said “There is a lot of examples of good practices of tackling domestic violence across our country and we now need to pool our ideas, commitment and dedication to ensure a national best practice strategy. Police & Crime Commissioners are at the heart of local policing, we have experience of domestic homicide reviews, how to tackle perpetrators and ensuring the right support is available for victims – we now need to have an input collectively at a national level.
Vera Baird has been a life-long champion of tackling domestic violence, she is passionate about ensuring victims are able to speak out and ensuring perpetrators know that the police will do everything within their power to secure a conviction. Mrs Baird’s dedication was recognised in 2012 when she won the Women’s Aid sponsored Outstanding contribution Judges award for empowering women. Vera continues to give her time to Eaves for Women’s Charity, by serving as their Chair.
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