Police and Crime Commissioners Vote.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19836724
We are voting for Crime Commissioners in a month This one seems to have slipped by me, does everyone else know of this ?

 

I only heard about it very late last night on the news. They seem to be asking us to vote based on which crime we feel most strongly about. It follows then that they're asking us which crimes we care least about, presumably so that those type of crime can be ignored.

 

I was quite amazed that one of our candidates is considered to be a local property baron/landlord with dubious dealings.

 

Can't be arsed to vote for this. Just a waste of money, nothing will change because the police don't have as much money to use anyway.

 

All the candidates now seem belong to political parties, rather than the independents it was supposed to attract, but are supposed to have been put off by the deposit system, so now it seems political control of the police is inevitable.

 

The police forces have always been under political control, so no change there.

 

I heard on a news item (can't remember which one now) that this "election" is costing £75million; tax payers money.

To say nothing will change as the Police budget is reduced is surely all the more reason to vote? You know yourself with your household budget, when you feel the pinch, you need to make difficult choices on where you cut back and how best to spend your pennies; it is going to be the PCC who decides where to make cut backs and that will be influenced by their background and in many candidates, their political sway. The only way to have even an iota of say is to vote for the person who is most aligned with your own thinking.

Of the six candidates in my area, only one is an independent.

Another is claiming to be an independent, but it transpires he has been an active political member for over 40yrs and now ... isn't This is the same candidate who is claiming to want to rejuggle the shift system to attract more recruits. Silly billy obviously hasn't been keeping up with the news: they are not recruiting! As for the shift system, it is something our area has been trying to address as a result of austerity measures and staff reductions; it is a nightmare due to employment legislation in a field where cover is required 24/7, the EU working time directives need to be observed and other issues such as flexi-time to address the diversity of the workforce yet fails to equally represent those who bear the knock-on consequences.

Another wishes to transfer more roles to civilian staff (again, read the news, Herbert!): many of the staff "cuts" are due to the reduction of civilian staff; staff cuts in police staff have mainly been achieved through a) natural wastage (aka retirement) and b) not recruiting to fill the gaps from natural wastage. Likewise, employing civilian staff and Police staff, not only complicates human resource management issues (different contracts/obligations), but also skews issues such as votes over shift pattern changes (because civilian staff do not have a vote).

Another is a chartered accountant with a focus on overhauling the budget. To me that is like presenting him with a cake recipe and asking him which ingredient can be left out of the mix. He'll be looking at how to cut the cost of the cake, but, take the fruit out of a fruit cake and you still have a cake (a plain one!); take the flour out of the cake and you've got ... a mess! Unless of course he knows how to make cakes (aka how the Police works).

Another would like to see officers having "up to date" equipment: he emphasised his point by waving an Ipad at the camera and explaining how this would save them having to return to the office (it's called a station, Herbert) and they can keep their paperwork up to date while out and about on duty. Inspired? He clearing has not seen an Officer's utility belt and all the other do-dahs they have to carry around, let alone a tablet computer. If they are patrol officers add into the mix their "go-bag" of other items the may need during their duty.

I know precisely who I'm going to vote for out of the 6 and it won't be Herbert's 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5! Except, I have to vote for two Will it void if I only tick one?

 

Who is going to give more than a passing glance at the candidates?

Ideal oppertunity for local barmpots to be significant.

 

I'm sure if I was to get any info on my local candidates it would make no difference.

They would all be people out to make a name for themselves, draw a fat salary, and be unaccountable for their actions and probably liars also.

In short, politicians.