Police reform, new powers and the challenges faced in responding to terrorism and organised crime raise important questions about how best to hold the police account.

Among the topics the forum addressed were:

• What do we mean by ‘police accountability’?
• What balance should be struck between local and national accountability?
• Are the issues in policing comparable to those of other public sector bodies, such as education or health? If so, what lessons can be learned? Or is policing different?
• Are the current policies in this field adequate?
• What roles do bodies such as the National Policing Improvement Agency, the Audit Commission and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate have to play?
• What issues are raised by the pluralisation of policing agencies such as SOCA or the private security industry?