Nominations start for police commissioner
5:40pm Tuesday 9th October 2012 in Latest News
Conservative candidate Angus Macpherson
THE battle to be Wiltshire’s first police and crime commissioner is officially under way after the nomination period for candidates opened this week – and two independent hopefuls were announced.
Police and crime commissioners are being brought in by the Government to replace police authorities in England and Wales, and will have the power to hire and fire chief constables and set the force’s budget and strategy.
Four candidates have formally notified Swindon Council they intend to stand in the county-wide poll on November 15.
More people are expected to come forward before the deadline for nominations at noon on October 19.
The current candidates are Labour’s Clare Moody and the Conservatives’ Angus Macpherson, who were announced by their parties earlier this year, as well as independents Colin Skelton and Liam Silcocks.
The Lib Dems are still choosing a candidate.
Ms Moody, a south west regional officer at the union Unite, said her priorities were to protect funding for neighbourhood policing, stamp out hidden crime such as domestic violence and hate crime, She also wants to boost the democratic face of policing by appearing in and listening to the public.
“One of the most commented-upon parts of people’s experiences of crime in Wiltshire is anti-social behaviour,” she said.
“The most effective way to deal with this is protecting those front-line neighbourhood police teams because they deal with it.”
Mr Macpherson, an accountant who has been a Swindon magistrate for 20 years, said he aimed to boost volunteering, champion restorative justice, and to commission Wiltshire’s drug and alcohol services together, rather than in isolation, to provide better value for money and tackle substance abuse more holistically.
“You’ve got drug and alcohol services that are paid for getting people off drugs but if they’re using alcohol to excess that doesn’t matter. It’s about joining things up,” he said.
Mr Skelton, of Salisbury, who has spent 20 years at the forefront of counter terrorism research, policy and training, within the Civil Service, pledges to put 300 more police officers on the streets of Wiltshire, ensure the top 100 worst offenders are targeted, cut crime by 20 per cent, and ensure fair treatment for officers and staff.
He said: “I will set up five enhanced integrated offender management teams across Wiltshire, each targeting the 20 most prolific offenders in their area.
“If offenders do not change their behaviour, they will be aggressively targeted for intensive supervision and disruption to their activities, while building a solid case against them prior to their prosecution.
Some of the key policies of Mr Silcocks, an IT professional, of West Ashton, Trowbridge, is to establish a completely independent panel to review any alleged police wrongdoings and to ban the use of the Lti 2020 hand-held speed gun, which he claims is unreliable.
Comments(18)
The Real Librarian
says...
9:07am Wed 10 Oct 12
Those people have the common sense and self-restraint of a three year old thats been eating sugary sweets all morning.
The best (and only good thing,) you can say about her is that at least she is not affiliated to the shameless political activist at the GMB who is exploiting the GWH workers for his own benefit.
At the end of the day, the Police Commissioner is a non-job. They have no real power over the force, its the Chief Constables and ACPO Plc who do that. If we were electing a Police Chief, ahh, then you'd have something.
RichardR1
says...
9:50am Wed 10 Oct 12
1 2 Could B
says...
9:59am Wed 10 Oct 12
Which party was that Bob?
Why hasn't it been put forward?
RichardR1
says...
10:04am Wed 10 Oct 12
If you are referring to elected Chief Constables, it was in the 2010 general election, perhaps reading manifesto's instead of the Beano before you vote may well make you more informed.
candid friend
says...
10:46am Wed 10 Oct 12
If there is a low turnout and a second rate candidate is elected it is probable that the post will be axed in due course.
In the meantime the successful candidate with a handful of votes will seek the headlines, and create trouble for the policel.
RichardR1
says...
12:36pm Wed 10 Oct 12
The Real Librarian
says...
1:52pm Wed 10 Oct 12
12:36pm Wed 10 Oct 12
I agree Candid, expecting Chief Officers to be elected is of course a different thing. A prerequisite would be they were already a serving senior officer.”
Why?
LocalBob80
says...
4:34pm Wed 10 Oct 12
Why?
itsamess3
says...
8:30pm Wed 10 Oct 12
That includes policing of errant officers who break the law and cause cases to fail--dont blame the courts when the quality of evidence does not support the charges tendered and have to accept lower offences.
Why should criminals walk out of courts laughing through flawed investigation.
We need a strong candidate who will ensure no stone is unturned and ensure the strongest case is presented to ensure the villains are put behind bars for long enough to realise crime does not pay.
LocalBob80
says...
10:47pm Wed 10 Oct 12
All police officers should be scrupiously dedicated and above all honest and sincere
RichardR1
says...
12:30pm Thu 11 Oct 12
If they present a case for prosecution that is in some way flawed, or lacks the prerequisite 51% chance of success that cannot be blamed on the police.
I 2 Could B
says...
4:25pm Thu 11 Oct 12
Still, it makes no odds to runs the police, or what the police do, until such time as our judiciary is radically overhauled.
There's very little point repeatedly arresting criminals who then receive either no sentence, a pointless 'community' sentence or periods on prison that verge on the farcical.
Crime in this country could quite easily be almost eradicated within a few years. The problem is that the authorities do not have the will to do it and the judiciary will certainly *never* allow it.
1 2 Could B
says...
4:45pm Thu 11 Oct 12
Not aware of any great improvements since Westminster since the ruling parties have changed
itsamess3
says...
6:00pm Thu 11 Oct 12
RichardR1 wrote:Of course it is the fault of the Police when they cannot provide evidence to support a prosecution--that is their job.
I think you will find it is not the police who decide what evidence to present and what charges to prefer, that is the job of the CPS.
If they present a case for prosecution that is in some way flawed, or lacks the prerequisite 51% chance of success that cannot be blamed on the police.
To investigate and present facts which support a crime being committed.
As has always been the case there are too many assumptions that simply do not support a prosecution.
RichardR1
says...
6:17pm Thu 11 Oct 12
'dont blame the courts when the quality of evidence does not support the charges tendered and have to accept lower offences.'
Who was blaming the courts I merely pointed out the decision to prosecute and for what is the role of the CPS based on the evidence before them. If they take a defendant to court without sufficient or flawed evidence it is their fault, not the police who don't make the decision to prosecute.
But of course you will now twist the words again so little point in continuing you will just run to Nanny again.
itsamess3
says...
6:50pm Thu 11 Oct 12
It is ridiculous to believe senior police officers would present evidence capable of proof a crime has been committed and by who.
The fact being no case should be presented to the CPS until they are sure the evidence is of the required standard as it will simply waste the courts time-and public monies.
That is entirely up to the Police as they should be abundantly aware of the standard of evidence required to secure a conviction.
itsamess3
says...
6:55pm Thu 11 Oct 12
RichardR1 says...
8:42am Wed 10 Oct 12
I fear given the Tories position in the polls that the Labour union official will likely win. Leading to much conflict, the police will take second best to the union civilian staff.
Let us hope that people have more sense and ignore any politically affiliated candidate.