Police And Crime Commissioner
by Patricia Montgomery, LincsMag Writer.
Date: 17 October 2012
On 15 November 2012, in the first ever elections, 41 new police and crime commissioners will be elected across England and Wales to give you a say when it comes to cutting crime in your area. LincsMag brings you the info...
Police And Crime Commissioners' Role
Police and crime commissioners (PCCs) will ensure the policing needs of their communities are met as effectively as possible, bringing communities closer to the police, building confidence in the system and restoring trust.
PCCs will make and influence key decisions that will impact on how your local area looks and feels - from CCTV, street lighting and graffiti to tackling gangs and drug-dealing.
Their job is to listen to the public and then respond to their needs, bringing more of a public voice to policing and giving the public a name and a face to complain to if they aren't satisfied.
Elections
The first elections of police and crime commissioners (PCCs) will take place on 15 November 2012.
PCCs will be an important figure in the world of crime and policing. They will represent you and hold the police force, and in particular the Chief Constable to account for the performance of the police force.
You will be able to vote in elections on the 15 November for the candidate you want to represent you. Candidates will need to be eligible to be able to stand for election.
Elections will be held in all police force areas in England and Wales, except in London, where the mayor of London has taken on the powers of a PCC in relation to the Metropolitan Police.
Visit the Choose my PCC website to find out more about your local candidate, or find out more about the elections at About My Vote.
About The Voting System
The supplementary vote system which is currently the system used to elect mayors, will be used for these elections. Voters will be asked to select their first and second preferences for PCC, if no candidate gains 50 per cent of the first preference votes, the two candidates with the highest number of first preference votes go forward to a second round of counting.
In the second round of counting, ballots with a first preference for a candidate that did not get into the top two will be reallocated according to the second preference indicated in the ballot paper. Whichever of the top two candidates has the most votes after these second-preferences have been allocated is declared the winner.
Who Can Vote For PCCs?
You can vote in the election of your PCC if you are resident in that area and you are:
- a British citizen living in the UK or registered to vote as a crown servant or member of the armed services
- a European Union citizen living in the UK
- a Commonwealth citizen who either does not need leave to be resident in the UK, or has the necessary leave and is legally resident in the UK
PCC Oath Of Impartiality
Police and crime commissioners (PCCs) will be required to swear an oath of impartiality before taking office in November.
The oath is designed to provide a platform for PCCs to set out publicly their commitment to tackling their new role with integrity.
It will also echo the commitment police officers make to serve every member of the public impartially, while at the same time recognising the importance of the operational independence of the police service.
The Home Office consulted on the wording of the oath below with the police and candidates, with the final wording to be confirmed prior to elections on 15 November.
Police And Crime Commissioner Oath
This folks is what the lucky winner has to swear to show they'll do the right job for us, the people ...
- Full Name of Place do solemnly and sincerely promise that I will serve all the people of Police Force Area in the office of police and crime commissioner without fear or favour.
- I will act with integrity and diligence in my role and, to the best of my ability, will execute the duties of my office to ensure that the police are able to cut crime and protect the public.
- I will give a voice to the public, especially victims of crime and work with other services to ensure the safety of the community and effective criminal justice.
- I will take all steps within my power to ensure transparency of my decisions, so that I may be properly held to account by the public.
- I will not seek to influence or prevent any lawful and reasonable investigation or arrest, nor encourage any police action save that which is lawful and justified within the bounds of this office.
So there you have it. Vote wisely!
Useful links
