Police officer detained following investigation of illegal methods at News of the World

I'm presenting Radio Four's Week in Westminster this morning, on deficit wars, London wars, welfare wars, and another set of wars which no one has really discussed yet: the directly-elected police commissioners. There will be about 40 of them elected in November, and candidates are already emerging: Nick Ross (ex-Crimewatch), Colonel Tim Collins and London mayoral hopeful Brian Paddick. ...

Yvette Cooper MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on the survey, said:

David Cameron's big idea for elected police commissioners wins over surprising political allies.

An £80m programme to provide frontline police with smartphones has left some forces with more mobiles than officers, says an auditors’ report

An £80 million mobile phone scheme to free up police on the street has led to some spending more time in the station, auditors found.

The chair of the Welsh assembly's Public Accounts Committee says police should investigate allegations of financial corruption at Wales' leading race relations organisation.

Home Office data published today shows police numbers are falling sharply in London. According to the Home Office there were 31,657 Metropolitan police officers in September 2011, a fall of 1,243 from September 2010. This represents a fall 3.8% over the year. The decline in police numbers under Boris Johnson is accelerating, with 784 fewer police in the latest 6 months alone. And, in separate, sli...

The number of uniformed police in England and Wales has fallen to its lowest level in a decade after more than 6,000 officers left the service last year

Yvette Cooper MP, Labour's Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on police numbers, said: