Llywydd’s praise for Assembly police scheme

The Assembly Llywydd has today praised a scheme promoting more contact between the police and AMs as the Assembly moves towards greater powers in the area of social justice. Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas was speaking at an event promoting the Assembly Police Scheme, which encourages AMs to work closely alongside local police and police support staff to see how areas of policing fit together in Wales. Richard Brunstrom, Chief Constable of North Wales, also spoke at the event. Under the scheme, which is run by the Police Liaison Office in the Welsh Assembly Government, AMs are put in touch a local police representative to take a close look at various areas including neighbourhood policing, criminal justices, forensic science, armed response and roads policing. Lord Elis-Thomas said: “The Assembly Police Scheme provides an ideal opportunity for AMs to gain a valuable insight into the workings of the police, by practical hands on experience, working alongside men and women on the ground who police our communities thus learning of the difficulties and challenge they face on a daily basis. AMs are able to see at first hand the practical effects of any policy and  legislative changes, as well as being able to develop their views on what further change might be necessary. “I certainly value the close contact established between AMs in their constituency offices and the Community Beat Inspectors who serve the parts of North Wales Police in which I live and work. A more formal exchange of views between police officers,  police support staff and AMs can only be useful as we move towards greater Welsh Ministerial and National Assembly involvement in key areas of social justice and the broader area of the administration of justice itself, as we draw the pieces of this challenging and complex ‘jigsaw’ together.” At the same event, the Llywydd presented certificates to two AMs, Jeff Cuthbert and Janet Ryder, who have taken part in the scheme.