English: The omission of the devolution of policing from the Wales Bill is welcomed. I took part in two committee reviews of police structure a decade ago here. It reported that criminal activity does not recognise national or regional boundaries. Commenting on calls for police devolution in the Wales Bill, my contacts in both North Wales Police and the North Wales Police Federation told me that they have a closer affiliation with north-west England than the rest of Wales and that there is a lack of competence in Welsh Government to handle the devolution of policing. As they've repeatedly reminded me, most people live along the M4 and A55 corridors, separated by a vast rural area, and with very different policing requirements, and their operational priority is working cross-border with north-west England. As Gwent's deputy chief constable Mick Giannasi has written, 'whilst I could see there might be some strategic benefits from the devolution of police, there are also serious operational riskthe list of potential benefits for me is a relatively short one'. He also questioned whether the Welsh Government had developed the resources or the experience to oversee policing and, although he stated that the relationship between the four Welsh police forces and the Welsh Government has been constructive, he believed that if the role of Welsh Government changed to one of accountability and delivery, that would inevitably result in a change in the nature of its relationship with the police service, and one that might ultimately prove to be less productive. The introduction of police and crime commissioners marked an act of real devolution, empowering local communities to have their say on policing priorities and to hold an elected representative to account. I wish our former colleague Jeff Cuthbert success in his new role as a commissioner.
Welsh: Mae hepgor datganoli plismona o Fil Cymru yn rhywbeth i'w groesawu. Cymerais ran mewn dau adolygiad pwyllgor o strwythur yr heddlu ddegawd yn ôl yma. Adroddodd nad yw gweithgarwch troseddol yn cydnabod ffiniau cenedlaethol neu ranbarthol. Wrth sôn am alwadau i ddatganoli'r heddlu ym Mil Cymru, dywedodd fy nghysylltiadau yn Heddlu Gogledd Cymru a Ffederasiwn Heddlu Gogledd Cymru fod ganddynt gysylltiad agosach â gogledd-orllewin Lloegr na gweddill Cymru a bod yna ddiffyg cymhwysedd yn Llywodraeth Cymru i ymdrin â datganoli plismona. Fel y maent wedi fy atgoffa dro ar ôl tro, mae gan y rhan fwyaf o bobl sy'n byw ar hyd coridorau'r M4 a'r A55, wedi'u gwahanu gan ardal wledig eang, anghenion plismona gwahanol iawn, a'u blaenoriaeth weithredol yw gweithio ar draws y ffin gyda gogledd-orllewin Lloegr. Fel yr ysgrifennodd dirprwy brif gwnstabl Gwent, Mick Giannasi, 'er y gallwn weld y gallai fod rhai manteision strategol o ddatganoli'r heddlu, mae yna risg weithredol ddifrifol hefyd mae'r rhestr o fanteision posibl i mi yn un gymharol fyr'. Roedd hefyd yn cwestiynu a oedd Llywodraeth Cymru wedi datblygu'r adnoddau a'r profiad i oruchwylio plismona ac er ei fod wedi nodi bod y berthynas rhwng y pedwar heddlu yng Nghymru a Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn adeiladol, pe bai rôl Llywodraeth Cymru yn newid i fod yn un o atebolrwydd a darparu, credai y byddai hynny'n anochel yn arwain at newid yn natur ei pherthynas â'r gwasanaeth heddlu, ac un a allai fod yn llai cynhyrchiol yn y pen draw. Roedd cyflwyno comisiynwyr heddlu a throseddu yn arwydd o ddatganoli go iawn a oedd yn grymuso cymunedau lleol i ddweud eu barn ar flaenoriaethau plismona ac i ddwyn cynrychiolydd etholedig i gyfrif. Rwy'n dymuno pob llwyddiant i'n cyd-Aelod blaenorol, Jeff Cuthbert, yn ei rôl newydd fel comisiynydd.