UK Regional Police and Crime Commissioner

[PaulC]

As a Police officer I feel that this is a waste of time. There will be no change to the operational side of Policing and remember, we already had Police Authorities who did the same job. The Met operate on a similar system to what we are voting for and they find themselves on the receiving end of the majority of so-called corruption scandals so that blows that idea out of the water. As for the previous mention of senior officers brought in from outside; this would simply not work. Policing is a difficult job and whether you like us or not, you have to admit that when you look at some of the tasks we're expected to do, you cannot deny they are very unpleasant sides to our job.
To command professional officers in an operational role, you need experience of doing it yourself. We are not a business and can't be run as such.
I excercised my vote despite me disagreeing with the process. If you don't vote, you can't moan!

Take care,

[dodger]

Hi Chaps..

I've just come back from 'doing my duty' by voting in todays poll to elect a Regional Police and Crime Commissioner and with 7 hours of the polls being open, I was the 29th person to vote Not much enthusiasm for it me thinks Point is.. you ask most folk who is standing for the position and what it is they're going to be doing and few know the answer to either. Seems a bit of a waste of time

ATB
DaveB

I found the very same Dave, i went to the Polling Station at 11am today and as i was near the door a person came out and said that it was nice to see us as there had only been a few since they opened at 7am,

I must say i am of the same view that it is all a waste of time and that we had five candidates and only one contacted us though a paper, whether right or not i voted for this person as he was the only one to do it, if all the others could not be bothered to do something similar then so be it.

Roger.

[simondix]

I filled out my postal vote. I am ex job and am sad to see this day arrive. The British Police despite some flaws, some would say many, is the envy of the world. One of the reasons is they are not controlled politically along party lines. Today that came to an end.

In the end I did not send my completed form as it meant I would be agreeing with the idea of electing a political leader of the police. Probably some party lackey who will do his masters bidding. All I can say is goodbye British Police and all who sail in her. My fear is that now what little respect that is left for today's Police will evaporate as they are seen to become a Political tool.

[Filonian]

I totally disagree with the whole shebang being foisted upon us, just another dangerous load of bureaucrats, most with no police experience.

Another load of highly paid idiots with massive pensions to provide for.

Far better to give the police all this cash and leave them to get on with the job without political interference.

I had a telephone call from some Tory party hack asking if I had been able to get out and vote.

My reply has to be written down on a piece of paper and passed to the judge.


Graham

[cstorey]

We heard nothing from the candidates in our area . I was determined not to waste my vote ( postal ) so for the first time ever I did what I have always wanted to do and wrote " none of these are fit to hold office" . My wife apparently did a similar thing at the polling station and wrote " I know nothing of these candidates" . A triumph for democracy ! What was wrong with Police Committees, or Watch Committees as they were once called, which had the merit of reflecting a range of public interests ?

[JohnWillimas]

I hadn't realised that this election was being done with a transferrable vote. Unfortunately it turned out you couldn't transfer it to anything useful like voting for free curry vouchers for the over 63's....
I ended up voting for the one I wanted and the one that meant I didn't have to vote for any of the ones I didn't want. I did check out the plans of our candidates but mostly they seemed to have overlooked the fact that the PCC doesn't have any involvment in operational policing. Methinks plenty of opportunitiers for confusion will lay ahead....

[Garry Russell]

Ah well

Here are the results


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19970734

[DaveB]

Thanks for that Garry Had I seen this earlier, I may have voted for the UKIP candidate. I quite fancy someone heading a campain against Political Correctness

I like your vote Chris.. wish I'd have thought of it at the time

ATB
DaveB

[speedbird591]

Here are the results ...

The one I voted for didn't get elected

It's criminal! I shall be raising the matter with my local Police Commissioner. Oh wait ...

Ian

[Vancouver]

Here are the results ...

The one I voted for didn't get elected

It's criminal! I shall be raising the matter with my local Police Commissioner. Oh wait ...

Ian

Oh how I miss the British sense of humor.