Police Commissioner Elections

To be fair I had the opportunity to speak to someone knowledgable on the subject yesterday morning and apparently it should be both cheaper than the current committee system and if the right people are elected, better.

still didnt get round to voting though, was dark and cold by the time i got home from work.

[TamSV]

I'm genuinely surprised by the tone of this thread. I could understand if folk didn't like the details of these changes or had a preferred alternative. Unless you feel everything is already spot-on in terms of policing, then fair enough I suppose.

But the complaints mainly seem to be about too much democracy being thrust upon you and, it seems, a fairly strong desire for a police force that has no democratic accountability. Be careful what you wish for.

Gobsmacked. Honestly.

[Bri w]

Originally Posted by TamSV

I'm genuinely surprised by the tone of this thread. I could understand if folk didn't like the details of these changes or had a preferred alternative. Unless you feel everything is already spot-on in terms of policing, then fair enough I suppose.

But the complaints mainly seem to be about too much democracy being thrust upon you and, it seems, a fairly strong desire for a police force that has no democratic accountability. Be careful what you wish for.

Gobsmacked. Honestly.

My genuine concern is the potential, open, political alignment to the local politically aligned Council and MP. The now old version saw the Chief Constable responsible to the Home Secretary - accountability was there and was consistent across the country. We now have a PCC that, potentially, won't reflect the national 'way' because he's a Labour candidate who openly canvased the position as a political one. Quote, "this is a political position and don't let anyone tell you otherwise." And, "this govt has ..... and as the Labour candidate I will...." And he is now the guy that is going to be telling the Chief Constable what he wants.

If it was genuinely free of politics I wouldn't have a problem with it at all, and in truth would welcome it.

I'm not sure we have democracy when the candidate reflects a party and not the people?

[dizzyblonde]

Somewhere in deepest darkest Wales, there was a zero percent turnout...not one vote! Wonder how that works now, pick a name out of a hat?

[Bluepete]

Technically, I'm not allowed to discuss this.

So read some of these posts instead.


http://inspectorgadget.wordpress.com/

Pete

[flymo]

I voted, I wasn't going to due to lack of information and not knowing much about the candidates. But I sat down, read what I could find and dropped my vote off last night.

I must admit, I was also swayed by the candidates political representation. IMO, a well qualified independent candidate ranks higher than a party political representative for this role. Independence from both the police and the political parties was important to me.

[punyXpress]

We missed a trick there:
" The deposits will be returned to those who get at least 5 per cent of the vote, "
That should have read: . . of the available votes, in which case virtually all the candidates would have lost their deposits.
Have to disagree with TamSV: if you replace a carp system with another carp system, where is the progress? It's only the depth that varies.
Will be interesting to see how many of the elected candidates choke when having to swear that they will act to the benefit of all, regardles of political affiliations

[punyXpress]

Originally Posted by Bluepete

Technically, I'm not allowed to discuss this.

So read some of these posts instead.


http://inspectorgadget.wordpress.com/

Pete

Pete: did inspector gadget REALLY mean to say " ********us election campaigns " ?

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

Somewhere in deepest darkest Wales, there was a zero percent turnout...not one vote! Wonder how that works now, pick a name out of a hat?

couldn't they even vote for themselves?

[flymo]

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

Somewhere in deepest darkest Wales, there was a zero percent turnout...not one vote! Wonder how that works now, pick a name out of a hat?

It may have been a predominantly postal vote area. Less than 100 people visited our local polling station in a large built up area, but then we use postal votes so hardly surprising.