Conservatives reiterate pledge to introduce elected police chiefs

The new Home Secretary, Theresa May, has confirmed that the new government will press ahead with the Conservatives' manifesto promise to introduce elected police chiefs, despite opposition to the plan from their Liberal Democrat partners.

Speaking after meeting the Metropolitan Police Commissioner and other officers on a housing estate in London, May said that work to establish elected police commissioners would begin immediately.

She said: "We believe it is important to increase accountability for police forces and that is why we will be introducing directly elected police commissioners. One thing that is absolutely clear is that it is not to intervene or get in the way of operational independence of the police, but we believe greater accountability is necessary."

The Home Secretary also promised to reduce police paperwork in a bid to get more officers into the streets.

She said: "As a new government one of our commitments is to enable police to get out more on the streets and do the job they want to be doing and the public want to see them do. We are absolutely clear that we want to slash bureaucracy and get more police out on the streets."