1. The governance of Police -- 2. The Police and Magistrates' Courts Act -- 3. Reinvigorating local governance? Local policing plans 1996/7 -- 4. Accountability after the Act: the view from the Police authorities -- 5. Case study A: The Metropolitan Force -- 6. Case study B: The Shire Force -- 7. Case Study C: The Combined Authority Force -- 8. Police governance since the 1994 Act