How do you lead policing governance through pandemics, mass shootings, G7 summits and chief constable suspensions – and still win Director of the Year?
Bernard Rix joins Fran Hughes, Chief Executive of the Devon & Cornwall Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), for a candid conversation about eight years at the heart of policing governance in one of the UK’s most complex force areas – Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Fran explains what an OPCC actually does, how her small team holds the Chief Constable to account, runs the police estate, commissions around £9m of services for victims and reducing reoffending, and why innovation – from Prisoners Building Homes to major estates projects – has become a hallmark of the Devon & Cornwall approach.
Takeaways
- The OPCC is a small team with big statutory responsibilities.
- Fran’s role combines chief executive, head of paid service and monitoring officer.
- Devon & Cornwall OPCC directly runs the police estate – unusual nationally.
- The office commissions around £9m in services, mainly for victims and reducing reoffending.
- Geography matters: a vast peninsula plus the Isles of Scilly shapes policing challenges.
- Tourism and seasonal demand radically change policing pressures across the year.
- The team has navigated COVID, G7, Plymouth shootings and major leadership change.
- Innovation projects like Prisoners Building Homes have grown from local pilots to national initiatives.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Context of Policing Governance
02:12 Recognition and Achievements in Policing
03:46 Roles and Responsibilities of the Chief Executive
07:05 Geographical Challenges in Policing
08:09 Reflections on Eight Years of Leadership
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