ON Thursday, the nation will go to the polls to elect the country’s first police and crime commissioners.

Three candidates have thrown their hat into the ring for the £75,000-a-year role for West Mercia Police.

INDEPENDENT

Retired police officer Bill Longmore says running a force with “national standards of excellence”

should be what this region aims for.

Mr Longmore, aged 74, who lives in Shrewsbury, also says he wants police to link up better with voluntary groups across the West Mercia force area.

The former PC ran his own multi-million pound timber business after retiring from the beat.

His manifesto pledges to look at new ideas for the rehabilitation of criminals, suggesting the current arrangement of unpaid work is not working as well as it might.

He also believes many offenders break the law because they are bored – and that new facilities to keep youngsters busy will go a long way to reducing anti-social behaviour.

He said: “I strongly believe politics has no place in policing and I am the only candidate with no affiliation to any party.”

He pledges to: 􀁥 Represent people’s voices about how to tackle crime; 􀁥 Develop new partnership opportunities (with community organisations and voluntary bodies) so police have more regular dialogue with the public; 􀁥 Look at the current rehabilitation system and improve it; 􀁥 Engage far better with young people via the use of public meetings and surgeries.

LABOUR

Starting a war on drugs in Worcester and cracking down on speeding are just two of the priorities for a would-be police and crime commissioner.

Simon Murphy, 50, insists he would also make sure more police officers are put back on the beat.

Extra traffic calming measures, sending officers into schools to give talks on drugs and moving around CCTV so they focus more on troublesome areas are three other emerging policies in his manifesto.

Dr Murphy, a former West Midlands MEP who now does a range of consultancy work for public and private bodies, says his main priority is getting a more visible police presence.

His manifesto also includes a pledge to appoint a victim’s champion who can work with those who suffer crimes to see what they thought of the police response.

If elected, he will also appoint a non-political deputy commissioner, who will warn him if he steps out of line.

His priorities include:

  • More police on the beat by diverting funding into front-line roles; 
  • Cracking down on anti-social behaviour by making better use of CCTV;
  •  Tackling speeding via extra traffic calming and more funding for new cameras;
  • Starting a war on drugs in Worcester.

CONSERVATIVE

Former army officer Adrian Blackshaw says he wants to see more people in Worcestershire volunteer to help cut crime.

He wants to unlock community spirit.

Mr Blackshaw, 60, a Herefordshire county councillor, has produced a five-point plan.

  • Police will need to hold more meetings in the community so they can be held to account;
  • Get officers away from their desks more often and on to the streets;
  • Encouraging more voluntary policing by maintaining current levels of PCSOs and asking more people to become special constables;
  • To ensure all police funding is fairly distributed across West Mercia;
  • To listen to victims of crime and ensure they are a priority.

Mr Blackshaw, who is now a commercial organic farmer in Canon Pyon, Herefordshire, has done three tours of Northern Island with the army and believes he is ideally suited to the role.