Scrutiny and Meetings
The Police and Crime Commissioner scrutinises the Chief Constable, and those decisions are also scrutinised by the Joint Audit Committee and the Police and Crime Panel.
COPS: Commissioner’s Oversight of Policing Services
The PCC scrutinises the Chief Constable and puts your questions to him. Find out more about COPS meetings here.
Joint Audit Committee
The Joint Audit Committee was established by the PCC and Chief Constable to support them and statutory officers in ensuring that effective governance and risk management arrangements are in place and functioning efficiently and effectively. The Committee also scrutinises the draft statement of accounts, and considers whether appropriate accounting policies have been followed, and makes recommendations for improvements to anti-fraud and corruption strategies. These meetings, to which the public are invited to attend, are not held by the Elected Policing Body.
Police and Crime Panel
The Police and Crime Panel is responsible for scrutinising and supporting the Police and Crime Commissioner. The meetings are not held by the Elected Policing Body but are held in public with members of the public encouraged to attend and to submit questions.
The Panel is made up of representatives from each of the local authorities in the Hampshire Constabulary area, which includes the cities of Portsmouth and Southampton, the eleven Hampshire Borough and District councils, and the Counties of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Independent Scrutiny Panels
The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and her office work with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary (HIOWC), partners and members of the community to provide independent scrutiny of a range of policing powers, practices and decision-making processes.
The PCC’s scrutiny panels bring together volunteers, community representatives, partner agencies and criminal justice professionals to independently review police activity, provide constructive challenge, identify good practice and support continuous improvement. The panels help ensure that police powers are used fairly, lawfully, proportionately and ethically, while promoting public confidence in policing.
Independent Review of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Professional Standards Department
Following the death of two police officers while under investigation in 2025, Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones commissioned an independent review into the Constabulary’s Professional Standards Department (PSD)
PCC Donna Jones appointed John Riddell, a solicitor and partner at Weightmans LLP, to lead the review. John Riddell has extensive experience in police law and public sector governance, having advised forces across the country and contributed to major public inquiries.
The review was completed in March 2026 and cites 23 recommendations for improvement with regards to timeliness and proportionality of investigations, welfare and culture.
The report’s findings and recommendations can be read here PSD REVIEW EXECUTIVE SUMMARY