Keep politics away from our police forces (From Salisbury Journal)
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Keep politics away from our police forces
11:11am Thursday 1st November 2012 in Salisbury Letters
IT WOULD appear from conversations I have had with others that almost no one is going to bother to vote for a police commissioner on November 15.
This is either because of apathy or that there is strong opposition to the considerable costly expense of publicising and organising the election.
It could also be due to the extremely high salaries to be paid to the commissioners and, notably, the danger of placing into the hands of one unknown person such wide ranging powers in regulating and placing their personal/political stamp upon the operation of our local police service.
The current unelected police authorities may not be perfect but they are usually made up of people from different backgrounds and political persuasions which should provide reasonable checks and counterbalances against extreme and outlandish ideas.
It is an arrangement that has served us well for decades so why change it now?
For those of us who are opposed to the politicalisation of our police force, and giving just one person such tremendous powers, may I suggest that we do not stay at home on November 15 but go to our polling station and place a great big NO across the names of all of the candidates listed?
This is the only democratic way we will have of showing our protest. If there are more spoilt ballot papers than votes cast for the candidates surely the Government will have to think again?
ALAN SCOTFORD, Chippenham
Comments(3)
karlmarx
says...
12:39pm Sat 3 Nov 12
I shall be taking the advice given by the people who know what they are doing and talking about, the police, don't vote!
Voting gives the false impression that politics will not play a part in local policing policies.
karlmarx
says...
1:40am Sat 17 Nov 12
Cameron STILL in dreamland....
VOTERS shunned the police and crime commissioner election at one Welsh polling station by casting NO VOTES.
The vacant polling station in Newport, South Wales, received no visitors for the whole day – dealing another blow for the Coalition’s police reform plans.
Voters shunning the police polls came as the Prime Minister David Cameron insisted the first police and crime commissioners will have a mandate to oversee the delivery of law and order.
This is despite a turnout at yesterday’s elections which is expected to be a record low.
As votes were counted in 41 police areas across England and Wales, Newport City Council refused to name the voting station and a spokeswoman said: “We will not be commenting.”
Wayne David, the MP for Caerphilly, South Wales, tweeted: “Some ballot boxes had no votes in them,” – confirming the dire result.
The overall turnout in Gwent, South Wales, was just 14.3 per cent – one of the lowest since World War Two.
The Electoral Reform Society blasted the government’s handling of the elections as a “comedy of errors.”
Stephen Brooks, Director of the Electoral Reform Society Wales said: “Counting staff are sat idle today because voters yesterday knew next to nothing about the role, let alone the candidates they were expected to pick from.”
He added: “There have been avoidable errors at every step, and those responsible should be held to account.”
Labour said it was “shocking” that the Government had spent up to £100million on elections which had failed to engage the public.
While Liberal Democrat president Tim Farron warned it would be “extremely difficult” for PCCs to claim a mandate when they were elected by just 7-8 per cent of registered voters in their area.
But Mr Cameron insisted: “Yes, they have a mandate. The turnout was always going to be low, when you’re electing a new post for the first time, but remember these police and crime commissioners are replacing organisations that weren’t directly elected at all.”
Millions of pounds wasted!!!!!!!
c skelton says...
11:53am Thu 1 Nov 12
I cannot agree with your statement to spoil your ballot paper. I agree that this system is flawed in many respects but we are here.
The politicalisation of our Police is one of my reasons for standing as an independent. I hold the same view as I suspect you do and I have an uneasy feeling about a political party holding such power over our Police. Robert Peel stated that the Police should have complete impartiality to the the law, this will change after the 15th Nov.
You can spoil your ballot or vote independent.