By Darryl Preston
Following my nomination as the Police and Crime Commissioner candidate for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, I commenced a whirlwind tour of our wonderful county, visiting each constituency area.
On 13th March, travelling to the North East Cambridgeshire Association AGM, I received the news that elections were to be postponed for a year – and for good reason: Covid-19! Ah, well...
And in July, after the inevitable delays caused by Covid, I was at last able to spent some time in Sawtry with Shailesh Vara, MP for North East Cambridgeshire, and Sawtry County Councillor Simon Bywater – we stopped to talk to Mrs Jayshree and Mr Vinodray Dattani, who run the Sawtry Newscabin and post office.
We also visited Spirotech, which designs and manufactures conveying systems and pressure vessels, and is an important employer in Sawtry.
But, back to NECCA's AGM where I talked about my 30 years’ experience as a police officer and my priorities – then the questions, and one in particular, which many in our communities ask: why do we need a PCC?
Why do we need a PCC?
The PCC is responsible for an effective and efficient police service within their area. In Cambs and Peterborough, the PCC controls a £155m budget and sets out a Police and Crime Plan – which the Chief Constable must pay regard to.
The PCC also commissions victims’ services, supports charities which prevent crime and appoints (and can sack) the Chief Constable. On the political front, PCCs can also influence the government directly, ensuring local issues are heard.
However, most importantly, the PCC is directly answerable to you, and it is by listening and acting on the views of our law abiding majority, and not those who seek change by breaking the law, that will give us all more confidence in our criminal justice system.
Cambs constabulary currently recruiting
While the government is rightly focused on public health at the moment, at a recent ‘virtual’ meeting with the Home Secretary and Policing Minister, it was reassuring to hear that law and order, and particularly policing, is still a key priority.
The national 20,000 police officer uplift is pressing ahead, with our constabulary currently recruiting, having received a £10.5m budget increase from last year.
If elected, I will make sure we get our fair share of new police officers and that they are deployed and visible across the county to cut crime.
Crime legislation is also being progressed, such as ending the automatic release of terrorists, serious violence laws combating knife and gun crime – and a real issue in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough – clamping down on illegal encampments.
With extra police I would be looking to the Chief Constable to robustly enforce the legislation.
Stiffer sentences
However, more can be done to keep us all safe and I will work hard with our MPs to get stiffer sentences for rural crimes such as hare coursing. I will also fully support the police using powers to prevent crime, such as stop and search and dispersal orders
And though we find ourselves in unusual times, it is heartening to see how our communities have pulled together, including some of our local business going above and beyond as I witnessed on a recent visit to Sawtry.
Finally, I would like to make a special mention of our brave and committed police officers and staff, who continue to put themselves at risk to keep us all safe.
Darryl Preston is the Conservative candidate in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Police and Crime Commissioner election in May 2021. There's more about Darryl on the About Darryl Preston page.
