Labour candidates for police commissioner job set out their aims
LABOUR has put forward its three candidates to be police commissioner for Derbyshire.
Alan Charles, Hardyal Dhindsa and Kathryn Salt spoke last night at the party's hustings event at the Ockbrook and Borrowash branch and spoke of their aims if they were to be elected the position in November.
Helen Clark, chairman of the Erewash Labour local government committee, said: "I am absolutely delighted with the three excellent candidates. Any single one of them would do Derbyshire very proud. It shows that Labour has confidence in its candidates."
In November, a single police and crime commissioner will replace the existing police authority.
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Their role will be to hold Derbyshire's force to account, set the police budget and, along with the Chief Constable, decide the force's future strategy.
Commissioners will also drive community safety and work with local partnerships and national and regional criminal justice agencies and services.
Each commissioner will be elected for four years and will be required to publish a police and crime plan.
A meeting of Derbyshire Police Authority last year heard the police commissioner for Derbyshire would be paid about £75,000 a year.
This was decided by the Government's Senior Salaries Review Body, which sets top civil servants' wages. The controversial move has previously been criticised by the current chairman of Derbyshire Police Authority, Conservative Philip Hickson, who has expressed an interest in the role as long as it is "non-political".
However, the three main political parties are each expected to put forward three people for the role, which will be reduced to one by the time the public vote in November.
So far, the Labour Party in the county is the only one to announce those it has put forward.
Speaking before last night's meeting, Mr Charles, who is vice-chairman of the county's police authority and deputy leader of the Labour group on the county council, said: "Maintaining community policing is extremely important. Residents in Derbyshire who you speak to say they want to see more visibility of police on the streets."
He also said if he were to become the police commissioner he would look into the protection of vulnerable people, particularly victims.
"But we have got to work with partners to find the solutions," he said.
Kathryn Salt, a former Amber Valley councillor, said: "I would look at the prevention of crime and look at where the main priorities would be in Derbyshire in line with the policing plan.
"I feel that we are the people's voice and the public could have their say. We are the safest area in the East Midlands. The police have their priorities right but we can always improve."
Hardyal Dhindsa, a probation service manager and Labour city councillor, said: "I feel that I have got the breadth and balance of experience for the role. But one person cannot do it on their own. The aims are to tackle and reduce crime in Derbyshire and work together with criminal justice agencies so that we have safer neighbourhoods and victims are protected."
Comments
by Eastonian
Thursday, May 17 2012, 1:18PM
“What is the point of this article if the very first sentence of it is true?
Why should we, here in Leicestershire, be bothered about what's in store for Derbyshire?”
by asctty
Wednesday, May 16 2012, 9:49PM
“In say London, the Police Commissioner is the uniformed Chief of Police. These regional Police Commissioners will not be officers of the law, so what is the difference between this and the existing Police Authority? The current make up is this:
The Derbyshire Police Authority is an independent body responsible for monitoring the work of Derbyshire Constabulary.
Derbyshire Police Authority is made up of 17 members: seven county councillors, two city councillors and eight independent members.
But who decides who all these members are? Who decided to appoint the couni
cillors tp the ploice authority and who voted for/accepted the @independents' into the fold?
It does seem a very strange club that appears to make decisions on policing in Derbyshire. How many are qualified to make such decisions.
Anyway, getting to the point - who should we consider paying a would be politician a good salary to preside over something that the Police Authority already do by employing the well-paid supposed non-political Chief Constable?
The whole idea should be thrown out, and those local political types who care should be opposing it rather than just milking the idea of a useless, toothless police commissioner. Unless of course that profile suits their candidates, then let the wind blow them in :)”
by RobF11
Wednesday, May 16 2012, 12:59PM
“Agreed the post should surely be independent. There should be no political bias in the management of policing.
Particularly if the candidate is a member of a party who actively seek to repatriate immigrants because our country is "full". How on earth could these people expect fair treatment from the police if the commissioner had such political aspirations”
by janine2011
Wednesday, May 16 2012, 11:57AM
“If the post was an unpaid one would any of the councillors still be so eager to apply for it?”
by leicesterle4
Wednesday, May 16 2012, 11:45AM
“..........just re read the article.Derbs is paying £75000 for someone who knows nothing.Leicester is only paying £70000 for same position.Does that mean whoever is elected can have a backdated pay rise ?”
by leicesterle4
Wednesday, May 16 2012, 11:41AM
“Can anyone say why we need a police commissioner at all.At £70000 a year I would rather have police on the street,not someone who knows nothing about the police.”
by tazzyboy1
Wednesday, May 16 2012, 9:41AM
“If this is a political issue concerning Derbyshire, why is it headlining a Leicestershire Local newspaper?....and Why on the sports page (online)??.....get your act together LM, your'e fast becoming a waste of space!”
by SidtheKid123
Wednesday, May 16 2012, 9:28AM
“We might as well be living in Chicago.”
by Wafty
Wednesday, May 16 2012, 8:00AM
“nice also to see that Dindsha is already getting his excuses in before he cock's it up "But one person cannot do it on their own" - one person has to do it on their own - that's the point councillor!”
by Wafty
Wednesday, May 16 2012, 7:58AM
“anyone that is currently a member of a political party should be banned from standing - this role needs to be independent from party politics.....”