PRIME Minister Andy Burnham has the support of Cumbria's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner as he hears calls to to block the early release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers.
Chief Constables across the country sent a joint letter to Mr Burnham on Tuesday August 11, urging him to prevent the release of Henry Long, Albert Bowers, and Jessie Cole.
The three men, found guilty of manslaughter in the killing of PC Harper, are eligible for release under a Government scheme which addresses overcrowding in the prison system.
PC Harper died in 2019 when trying to apprehend Long, Bowers and Cole for a quad bike theft.
He became attached to a strap trailing behind the car and was dragged more than a mile down the road.
David Allen, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Cumbria said: "I know the PM is all over it and rightly so, there's a lot of public interest in this and there's a lot of interest from police officers in that, you go to work not knowing what will happen."
PC Harper's wife, Lissie Harper successfully campaigned for Harper's Law following his death.
It introduced mandatory life sentences for anyone responsible for the killing of an emergency services worker.
PC Harper's killers were sentenced before the introduction of Harper's Law so did not receive a life sentence, they are therefore eligible for early release.
Mrs Harper called the potential early release of her late husband's killers 'a gut punch' and Thames Valley Police Federation is considering legal action.
Although Mr Allen said that fighting the early release of the police officer's killers is not a matter for him, he is acutely aware of the risks officer take when they start their shift.
He said: "1990, I was dragged along 80 yards by a car in Caldewgate in Carlisle, I was fortunate, I survived, I spent 17 days in hospital but I know the risk that you take every time you put your uniform on and go out to serve and protect and look after the public.
"You presume you're going to get through your shift fine, you might not. That poor officer didn't and it was tragic."
He emphasised that decisions about the release scheme ultimately rest with the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Justice.
He said that speaking out against their early release is a matter for the Chief Constables, as the employer.
The earlier release model, designed to address overcrowding in prisons, was first introduced in 2025.
Mr Allen said: "I'm fairly confident that if [Andy Burnham] is able to sort it, he will, but it's got to be done in a manner that works across the board.
"You can't make legislation up for individual cases so it's got to be done properly and I would imagine that's what he's asked the Ministry of Justice to do."
Mr Allen, a Labour member, also spoke about the new Government.
He said: "I think we've definitely seen a change, it's much more dynamic, it's much more alive to communication, both within the Parliamentary Labour Party and the public."
He said that Mr Burnham has "a gift of communication really, he's good at it.
"Which is great because the age we live in, communication is a major part of what we do: telling people what you're going to do, telling people that you're doing it and telling them that you've done it.
"Simple things that are actually really difficult to pull-off properly and he's doing that, a lot of small things, which will add up, without a shadow of a doubt."
He said that his view on police reforms remain the same, he is opposed to a merger between Cumbria and a neighbouring force.
"Cumbria is an incredibly high-performing force, it's financially viable, we've got a clear geography, we've got a mayor coming next year who will have oversight of that geography, the police, the fire services, don't mess with it, it's not broken."
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