The creation of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales in November 2012, replacing the former Police Authorities, introduced a new mechanism for holding the police accountable. This article considers the new system in a cross-national context, arguing that the PCC system is distinct from other systems that involve elected police officials. Experience from other countries, however, suggests that there are inherent dangers in making the police democratically, rather than bureaucratically, accountable. In assessing the potential for the new arrangements in England and Wales, the article reviews the attributes of those who stood as candidates and the process that resulted in the election of 41 PCCs, who appear to represent the two main political parties, the police and the constituencies that represented the old Police Authorities, rather than their local communities.
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