I have launched my bid as the Conservative candidate to be re-elected as the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner. I have today submitted my nomination papers as a candidate for the poll to be held on Thursday May 6th having been delayed from last year due to the pandemic.
Over the last five years, I have overseen West Mercia Police’s turnaround from a force living off its reserves, with falling officer numbers and rising crime, to a police force today that balances its budgets, has 20% more police officers and oversees falling crime.
Building on my track record in my bid for re-election, I have a number of central pledges to the communities of West Mercia:
Putting Victims First - Ensuring that the needs and wishes of the victims of crime are at the heart of policing. Training front line officers in victim care, promoting greater use of restorative justice and continue to increase the amount spent supporting victims of crime to cope, recover and thrive.
Keeping the Communities of West Mercia Safe - Continue to focus West Mercia Police’s activity on fighting crime and protecting the vulnerable. Tackling the harm caused by drugs and alcohol, tackling violence against women including targeting the perpetrators of Domestic Abuse and exploitation of children, and reducing the deaths on our roads.
Reforming how your money is spent - Keeping Council Tax increases amongst the lowest in the Country, ensuring more of your money is spent on front line policing, progressing governance changes with region’s Fire services, reducing environmental impact of policing, investing in prevention to tackle the causes of crime, publish weekly and monthly key crime and police performance statistics
Making sure we feel safe as well as being safe - Ensuring that the community is at the heart of policing, implementing a Local Policing Community Charter ensuring our police are visible, accessible and effective.
I am very proud to have been trusted to serve the communities of West Mercia as their Police and Crime Commissioner. I have worked hard to ensure the public’s views are at the heart of policing whilst not dodging the difficult decisions to ensure their money is spent effectively and efficiently.
I am proud of the progress I have overseen, but now is not the time to take that progress for granted. Now is the time to build on that progress for the communities of West Mercia. There are now significantly more resources in policing locally, and my drive is to maximise the benefit for the community. There must be a focus on fighting crime, ensuring law abiding citizens can go about their lives without the fear of crime. We must also ensure that the police are in tune with the priorities of the community including tackling issues such anti-social behaviour, rural crime and speeding.
Keeping our communities safe is a massive and complex task. I have a track record of delivering my promises, and I have a clear plan to deliver if I am re-elected for a safer West Mercia.
The Police and Crime Commissioner elections in West Mercia will be held on Thursday 6th May 2021.
West Mercia Police area covers #Worcestershire, #Shropshire, #Telford & Wrekin and #Herefordshire.
