Where's The Accountability?

In response to a report in today's Telegraph citing how Ian McPherson, chief constable of Norfolk Police, had his stamp duty paid as part of £70,000 sweetener to tempt him to the job, Stephen Bett, chairman of Norfolk Police Authority, responded by sayng, "We are looking for people who can think outside the box, do what we want to be done, be accountable and provide the people of Norfolk with the best possible police force."

Now, putting aside the uber-bollocks* that is 'thinking outside the box' (a term I resolutely detest in much the same way I detest those that deploy it), can anyone tell me how Mr McPherson is in anyway accountable to the people of Norfolk? They didn't vote him in, nor can they vote him out. Residents cannot dictate what police priorities should be in their local area, nor can they have any say in the remuneration that is paid out to chief constables employed by their local force. Where's the accountability? Damned if I can see it.

It is now becoming clear that the upper echelons of the police force in the UK is slowly becoming a law unto itself, and the rising power of unaccountable organisations such as ACPO and APA has to be questioned directly. I was never too sure that the proposal from Tories such as Douglas Carswell, Daniel Hannan and Mark Reckless for locally elected 'sheriffs' would work in reality, but I am now starting to change my mind.

NB - The following FOI and response regarding Ian McPherson is worth a look

*Bollocks is not a swear word

Where's The Accountability?