ABSTRACT
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) was a watershed for the police service in England and Wales in general and for Chief Constables in particular. It coincided with the miners' strike, which represented the pinnacle of professional independence for Chief Constables and political alignment. It also coincided with the service of some of the most professionally dominant characters ever to hold the office of Chief Constable. With hindsight, however, this was a passing moment in police history. Landmarks on the journey of that decline include the doctrine of New Public Management, the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act, Fixed-Term Appointments and finally, and most significantly, the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. The result has been 'the decline of a professional elite'. Labour would invest heavily in the public services, including the police, but in return it would precisely control the way those resources were to be used and would closely measure results.
