Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill

Memorandum submitted by Judy Griffiths (PR 87)

Police Crime Commisioners to replace Local Police Authorities seems a strange and dangerous idea to me. Why give one person so much power when a group of people will make much more balanced decisions?

The PCC's are to be elected but how many people will bother to vote? It's difficult to get a good turnout for General elections, I doubt that the general public will have much enthusiasm for this and how would we know who to choose? I for one have no idea who would make a good PCC, I wouldn't know what qualities to look for in a candidate or what policies/strategies would be effective in fighting crime in my area.

And what about the cost of these elections? Out of which purse is that coming? Wouldn't that money be better spent on a few extra police officers instead?

January 2011