South Wales Police & Crime Commissioner

What South Wales Police & Crime Commissioner does

The Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales (operating as South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, abbreviated SWPCC) is a statutory government office established in 2012 under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, headquartered in Bridgend, Wales. The Commissioner is an elected public official — currently Emma Wools (elected 2021) — whose statutory role is to hold the Chief Constable of South Wales Police to account for the efficiency and effectiveness of policing, set the police and crime plan, and commission victim and community safety services on behalf of residents across Bridgend, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea and the Vale of Glamorgan.

The Commissioner's office delivers no commercial products and operates as a public-sector oversight and commissioning platform rather than a technology business. Its underlying technology is a standard WordPress-based bilingual (Welsh/English) website with Google Analytics, Complianz cookie consent, Polylang localisation, Userway accessibility tooling, YouTube embeds, and a Flipsnack integration for digital publications. Operational outputs consist of a Victims Directory, a Find Support referral portal, the #NotTheOne knife crime awareness campaign, the Safer Places Partnership Fund (a £1M, 2026-2028 programme), the Violence Prevention and Reduction Unit (launched December 2025), the Criminal Justice Anti-Racism Action Plan for Wales (committed 2022), and oversight bodies including the Independent Custody Scrutiny Panel, the Out of Court Resolution Scrutiny Panel, and the Police Accountability and Legitimacy Group (PALG, established 2017).

Revenue is entirely non-commercial and consists of government funding: a Ministry of Justice annual grant for commissioning victim services, Home Office partnership funding, and the wider police precept and central government allocations overseen for South Wales Police. Services are delivered free at point of use via a network of more than 40 commissioned third-sector partner organisations (Victim Support, BAWSO, Cardiff Women's Aid, Refuge, Barnardo's, Adferiad, New Pathways, Safer Wales, and others) and via statutory partners coordinated through the South Wales Criminal Justice Board, which the Commissioner chairs.

Name

South Wales Police & Crime Commissioner

Legal name

Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales

Website

https://southwalescommissioner.org.uk

Company type

Public

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales is an elected statutory office that holds South Wales Police to account, sets the police and crime plan, and commissions victim and community safety services for residents across South Wales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Safety and Policing Oversight

NAICS

Police Protection (92212), Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAGAA

Police Services (Patrol, Response & Community Policing)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Law Enforcement & Public Safety (Police, Fire, EMS)

SECONDARYBPAIACAA

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

Keywords

• Police oversight services
• Victim support services
• Community safety partnerships
• Crime prevention programs
• Criminal justice coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Bridgend

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Funded through police budget allocations and government grants. The Commissioner receives annual funding from the Ministry of Justice for victim services and uses this to commission local services. Additional funding such as the £1 million Safer Places Partnership Fund (2026-2028) is secured from external sources including Home Office.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales holds the Chief Constable of South Wales Police to account, sets the police and crime budget, and commissions victim support, domestic abuse, substance misuse, and community safety services across South Wales. It delivers independent scrutiny through panels covering custody, out-of-court resolutions, and police accountability, and coordinates multi-agency violence prevention and anti-racism initiatives through the South Wales Criminal Justice Board and Violence Prevention and Reduction Unit.

Product overview

South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner operates a public information and oversight platform rather than a commercial product. The organization's offerings include: a Victims Directory providing access to national and local support services; the Safer Places Partnership Fund (£1M funding for crime prevention 2026-2028); the #NotTheOne knife crime awareness campaign; the Violence Prevention and Reduction Unit (VPRU); the Criminal Justice Anti-Racism Action Plan for Wales; and several oversight bodies including the Independent Custody Scrutiny Panel, Out of Court Resolution Scrutiny Panel, and Police Accountability and Legitimacy Group (PALG). The Find Support portal connects residents with partner services including domestic abuse support, substance misuse services, and mental health resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Safer Places Partnership Fund: A £1 million fund supporting partnership crime prevention and violence reduction activity across 2026-2028 in 32 data-led areas of focus.
• #NotTheOne
• South Wales Listens
• Violence Prevention and Reduction Unit (VPRU)

Products and services

• Test

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Criminal Justice Board for Wales PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 September 202212 partner organisations committed to creating an anti-racist criminal justice system in Wales by 2030. Includes all 4 Welsh police forces, 4 Police and Crime Commissioners, CPS, HM Courts, Prison and Probation Service, and Youth Justice Board.
• 18-25 Early Intervention Service (Future 4)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports young adults involved in the criminal justice system to live positive, healthy, crime-free lives. Accepts voluntary referrals from police, probation, and other agencies including third sector and local authority services.
• AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides specialist guidance, expert advocacy, and peer-support throughout the Domestic Homicide Review (DHR) process for families bereaved as a result of fatal domestic abuse or suicide where domestic abuse has been a factor.
• AdferiadcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember-led charity providing help and support for people with mental health, addiction, and co-occurring and complex needs. Located in Colwyn Bay, serving members across Wales.
• Barnardo'scoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorks with children, young people, families and communities across Wales, helping them build a better future. Key partner for youth support services.
• BAWSOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialist services for black and minoritised victims of abuse, violence, and exploitation in Wales. Supports people from Black and Ethnic Minority backgrounds affected by domestic abuse, FGM, forced marriage, human trafficking and prostitution.
• Cardiff Women's AidcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides needs-based support and a place of safety for all women and children experiencing and at-risk of gender-based violence. Works alongside survivors to create change.
• CAVDAS (Cardiff and Vale Drug and Alcohol Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccepts referrals from people in Cardiff and the Vale affected by drugs and alcohol. Part of the substance misuse support network.
• Cwm Taf and RCT SARC (New Pathways)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSexual assault referral centre providing specialist help, support and advice to men, women, children and young people following sexual assault in Cwm Taf and Rhondda Cynon Taf areas.
• DAN 24/7 (Wales Drug & Alcohol Helpline)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree bilingual 24/7 telephone helpline for anyone in Wales wanting information and help relating to drugs and alcohol. Hosted by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board with Welsh Government funding.
• Safer WalescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent charity mission to support, protect and empower groups of people often invisible in society. Operates Dyn Project for male domestic abuse victims and Women's Whole System Approach.
• South Wales Victim Focus (Victim Support)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal service run by the national independent charity Victim Support. Provides help and support to anyone in South Wales affected by crime.
• Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOversight body for police complaints. Campaign 'You Have a Voice' aims to raise awareness of the complaints system and build trust among women or girl victims and survivors.
• South Wales Criminal Justice Board (SWCJB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal governance board for criminal and social justice partners in South Wales. Ensures effective delivery of outcomes to reduce crime, reoffending and create safer communities. Chaired by the Police and Crime Commissioner.
• HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners in Community Payback projects including carpentry workshop and walking aid restoration facility. Operates seven days a week hosting people on probation.
• DASPA (Drug & Alcohol Single Point of Access - Cwm Taf Morgannwg)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSingle point of contact for people across Cwm Taf Morgannwg (Rhondda Cynon Taff, Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend) affected by drugs and alcohol.
• Victim SupportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational independent charity running South Wales Victim Focus local service. Provides free, confidential support to victims of crime.
• New PathwayscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialist support service for adults and children affected by rape, sexual abuse and sexual assault. Offers free specialist crisis, advocacy, wellbeing and counselling services. Also operates Swansea & Neath Port Talbot SARC.
• RefugecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational domestic abuse specialist providing support to women, children and some men escaping domestic violence and other forms of violence. 24/7 helpline available.
• Community Safety PartnershipscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinating bodies for crime and disorder reduction in local authority areas. Eligible to apply for Safer Places Partnership Fund to support locally designed, collaborative crime prevention projects.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dyfed-Powys: Statutory PCC for the Dyfed-Powys force area covering mid and west Wales; identical role, governance, and Welsh-language compliance profile as the South Wales PCC, and partner on All-Wales criminal justice initiatives.
• Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales: Police and Crime Commissioner for the North Wales police force area; same statutory mandate, same Welsh-language service obligations, and co-author of All-Wales pre-court diversion principles with the South Wales PCC's Director of Justice.
• West Midlands Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner: PCC for the West Midlands police force area; another directly-elected statutory PCC office in England with very similar commissioning of victim services, custody scrutiny panels, and community safety partnerships as the South Wales model.
• Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent: Statutory Police and Crime Commissioner for the neighbouring Gwent force area in South East Wales; identical statutory role under the 2011 Act, same funding regime from the Ministry of Justice, and joint signatory on the Wales-wide Anti-Racism Action Plan alongside the South Wales PCC.

Broad incumbents

• HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS): Independent inspectorate that audits police force efficiency and effectiveness; sits alongside the PCC as a parallel accountability mechanism and informs the Commissioner's scrutiny of South Wales Police performance.
• Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC): London's directly-elected mayor performs the PCC-equivalent function for the Metropolitan Police with a far larger budget and remit; comparable statutory oversight role over policing performance, victim commissioning and community safety, but at significantly greater scale.

Others

• Victim Support: National independent charity that runs the South Wales Victim Focus local service on behalf of the Commissioner; closely coupled operationally because it is the primary delivery partner for PCC-commissioned victim services across the region.
• Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC):

Regional players

• Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland: Another English PCC office operating under the same 2011 Act statutory framework and Ministry of Justice victim services grant regime; relevant as a regional comparator for commissioning, scrutiny panel design and neighbourhood policing investment approaches.

Emerging players

• National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC): Coordination body for UK chief constables that publishes national policing policy; a peer in the sense that PCCs and NPCC jointly shape national policing standards, although NPCC represents the police side while PCCs represent the public-interest oversight side.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/commissionersw
• Facebookfacebook.com/commissionersw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-wales-police-and-crime-commissioner

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about South Wales Police & Crime Commissioner