Association of Chief Police Officers

The Association of Chief Police Officers ( ACPO ) is an organization established in 1948 the management level of the police forces of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. He is since 2009 chief constable Sir Hugh Orde before ( QPM ).

The British police is divided into independent and equal regional units, each with its own management structure. Although the Metropolitan Police considered headquartered in New Scotland Yard as the lead in the UK, each local police forces are still independently. To develop joint police strategies, the leaders of the police in 1948 merged to form an association which will also serve as a link between the Home Office and the various police forces. In recent years, the association dedicated strengthened the development of strategies to combat terrorism, but also the prevention of crime, the preparation of risk assessments, the development of forensic methods and the optimization of the working conditions for civil servants.

Critics accuse the organization too much influence in front of the police officers on the one side and on the policy on the other side.