About

15 November 2012 brings a new creature to local policing in England and Wales, the elected Police and Crime Commissioner. Introduced to replace ‘invisible Police Authorities’, the successful candidates will each be responsible for holding their local Chief Constable to account, deciding their budget and strategic priorities, and a whole bunch of other functions that promise to shake-up the local landscape in criminal justice.

TopOfTheCops.com brings together all the news about Police and Crime Commissioners, from candidates, policies and priorities in your local area, all the way to election results and beyond.

Are you a PCC Candidate? Drop us a line and let the world know what you are about. Do you have information on what needs to change in your area? Mention it here, and it will give local candidates something to think about.

Our Editor, Sam Chapman, is being considered for the Conservative nomination for the Lancashire post, but offers this site as a way of leveling the playing field for coverage of all candidates across the country.

Our Readers

TopOfTheCops.com has been linked to by Michael Crick, formerly of Newsnight and now of Channel 4 News. However, he’s not the only journalist interested in the news and views on the site, which is also being followed by BBC North-West’s Arif Ansari, BBC London’s Katherine Carpenter, the Daily Mail’s Chris Greenwood, the Telegraph’s Martin Beckford, the Guardian’s Alan Travis, the Independent’s Paul Peachey and Jerome Taylor, the Huffington Post’s Chris Wimpress, the Yorkshire Post’s Rob Preece, Police Professional’s Marcus Chippendale, Al Jazeera’s Brian Ging and the Belfast Telegraph’s Deborah McAleese (despite there being no Police and Crime Commissioner election in Northern Ireland, or the Middle East for that matter).

Prospective Candidates, and folk like Crest Advisory who seek to advise them, police authority members and staff, think-tankers and politicians such as Douglas Carswell MP, Daniel Hannan MEP, Ann Coffey MP and Shadow Justice Minister David Hanson MP all link to here, tell their followers about us, or drop by for a look occasionally. Among the readership there are plenty of cops, there may be robbers for all we know and ordinary members of the public – all very welcome.

So if you want your voice to be heard, comment on our articles or drop a line to the editor – lots of good people are listening.

Editor’s Biography

The Editor has applied for the Conservative nomination for the Police and Crime Commissioner election in Lancashire, has passed the national part of the selection, been added to the validated PCC candidates list, and is currently going through the local selection process.

Background

My crimefighting career spans 20 years, starting as a Lancashire police officer at the sharp end on the beat in Chorley, Skelmersdale and Accrington. Most recently with 12 years leading crime reduction partnerships in Warrington, Preston and Blackburn – tackling drugs, anti-social behaviour and violent extremism.

Areas of expertise

Crime Reduction – As a Community Safety Partnership Manager, working together with partners to cut crime again and again in one town after another, including halving burglary in Preston, and then doing the same in Blackburn, with significant cuts in violent and vehicle crime too.
Justice – One of the first Case Review Managers at the Criminal Cases Review Commission, the body that decides which cases go back to the appeal courts. He investigated alleged miscarriages of justice and helped to establish a vital part of the criminal justice system.
Law – Having studied law and PPE at Oxford University, he then completed a Master of Laws in Human Rights and Criminal Justice at Coventry University. The research developed into a book on how Human Rights Law impacts on bigamy and polygamy. This has been cited internationally, and entered in evidence before a recent Constitutional case in the British Columbia Supreme Court.

Community Work

• Advisor to a community group setting up Chorley Career Academy, a new secondary Free School in Chorley, bringing the first sixth form to the town in 40 years.
• Representing the people of Chorley South at County Hall in Preston, where he chairs the Audit Committee of one of the country’s largest local authorities, responsible for signing-off nearly £2 Billion of public spending every year.
• Formerly a school Governor for 8 years and a member of Lancashire’s Probation Board for 3 years.
• Director of Lancashire Partnership Against Crime.

Favourite Quote – Milton Friedman “Thank God we don’t get all the government we pay for.”

Favourite Cop TV Series – Dexter

Favourite Cop Film – The Other Guys, with Hot Fuzz a close second.