Your Opportunity to change Policing

On the 15th of November 2012 the election of the Sussex PCC (Police & Crime Commissioner) will take place. For the first time the electorate will have a direct say in policing. The Police Minister Nick Herbert said in a speech that this will be

"a new era in policing, when local people will elect a Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex" .

Up until now the Sussex Police Authority has had this power; Who are they?, what do they do? I think most ordinary residents will be unable to answer that question.This will all change with the election, the electorate will be able to decide what Police force they want and how it operates. This is why I am putting my name forward to be chosen as the Conservative Party Candidate.

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Wednesday, 18 April 2012

What future for the Local Crime Reduction Strategic partnerships under an elected PCC

In the 1998 Crime & Disorder act there was provision in Section 5 & 6 to set up Crime reduction partnerships with Local Government, Police, Fire Service and other interested parties.  In my own area we have the Safer Arun Partnership.

Community Policing
But under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011  the role of elected PCC's was created and the money that goes to pay for the Local Strategic Crime Reduction Partnerships will go the the elected Police & Crime Commissioner rather than the local District, Borough or Unitary Council, so what future is there for these partnerships under an elected PCC. It's a legitimate question to ask of any candidate standing, whether they will continue to fund these partnerships.

My view is that there is scope for reform, at the moment every District or Borough Council have their own partnership, crime does not respect borders and it seems wholly sensible to consolidate partnerships over greater areas of say 3 or 4 District Council area's, this would reduce the partnerships in Sussex from 13 to about 4 or 5. This would save money and allow the PCC to support these valuable partnerships with money from the PCC budget.

We could also include such items as rough sleeper initiatives into the responsibilities of the partnerships, so the answer to the question I posed earlier in this article is yes if I was elected as Sussex's PCC I would support the Crime Reduction Partnerships, but not in their present form.

Rt Hon Nick Herbert (Police & Justice Minister) & Paul Dendle

Rt Hon Nick Herbert (Police & Justice Minister) & Paul Dendle
Nick Herbert (Police Minister) meets Paul Dendle on the streets of Arundel