Derbyshire police commissioner's pledge to bring modern slavery culprits to justice

Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner Hardyal Dhindsa says the county's force has already had impressive results in bringing perpetrators of modern slavery to justice.

Hardyal Dhindsa is one of the first commissioners in the country to sign a new charter pledging to investigate and eradicate modern slavery in supply chains and promote ethical business practices among the force's contractors and suppliers.

Derbyshire Constabulary has an impressive track record of investigating and building prosecution cases for modern slavery and human trafficking offences.

Mr Dhindsa said: “This is a significant milestone for policing and shows just how determined we are in Derbyshire to take action against modern slavery crimes and safeguard the human rights of people who live and work in the county and beyond.

"The force has a robust approach to these dreadful crimes and has already had success in investigating complex cases and bringing those responsible to justice. My own office has contributed significant resources to expand support services to help victims seek help, protection and recovery.

"As a public body, we must ensure the choices and decisions we make, and the people and businesses we work with, support these efforts and abide by fair and ethical standards.”

Mr Dhindsa added that he was delighted to sign the Co-operative Party's Charter Against Modern Slavery.

Joe Fortune, Co-operative Party general secretary, said: "Modern slavery is a scourge on society, and it is incumbent on us all to do what we can to clamp down on those who would profit out of human misery."

The charter provides guidance to Police and Crime Commissioners on how to identify and manage modern slavery risks in their existing contracts and new procurement activity. As a signatory, Derbyshire’s commissioner is committed to annual reporting on the implementation of the policy.

The Co-operative has led a campaign to address gaps in the Modern Slavery Act which has previously not required public bodies to ensure their supply chains are free from exploitation - despite local authorities procuring collectively more than £49bn on goods and services every year.