Councillor Joe Michna is standing as the Green Party candidate for Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner. If you are intending to stand to be Police and Crime Commissioner where you live, you can submit your own Candidate Statement, so get in touch at Editor@TopOfTheCops.com. Others are on the way, and we are looking for 400 words, and a photo of you to which you have rights.

I will be contesting the Police and Crime Commissioner election in Cleveland and I am putting forward a bold and comprehensive manifesto which covers both local policing issues and also the challenge of dealing with the ‘globalisation of crime.’

If elected, I will seek to set an example to other elected representatives by accepting only £35,000 of the Government recommended £70,000 salary for the post. I will give the Cleveland Police Force strong, robust and fair leadership and also be the ‘People’s Voice’ on all matters related to crime and local policing.

My key aims, objectives and priorities, if elected will be :

• giving the Cleveland Police Force strong leadership and direction

• challenging and holding to account the Chief Constable

• accepting only £35,000 of the proposed £70,000 salary for the post

• improving and strengthening support for victims of crime

• seeking to achieve ‘value for money’ in all Police activities

• holding Police and Crime Commissioner ‘advice and listening surgeries’ throughout Cleveland when local residents can meet with me on a face-to-face basis

• conducting monthly ‘Neighbourhood Crime and Security Walkabouts’ in different areas of Cleveland

• working and campaigning with others to oppose any further reduction in the number of Police Officers in Cleveland

• undertaking a ‘green audit’ of all Cleveland Police Force operations and procedures with the aim of making the Force the most environmentally friendly in the UK

• having more ‘bobbies on bikes’ as an effective means of providing local policing

• in partnership with other agencies, improving the ability of the Cleveland Police to tackle and prevent ‘neighbours from hell’ causing misery for local residents

• ensuring that the Cleveland Police Force has the resources and the expertise to investigate ‘economic and white collar crime’

• making sure that in an era of the ‘globalisation of crime’ the Cleveland Police Force works effectively with other UK national crime agencies and also with crime and criminal enforcement organisations from other countries, particularly those from other European Union countries

• recognising the importance of confronting and challenging ‘ organised crime structures’ in the Cleveland area no matter how large of or small these structures may be

• setting up a special team, headed by the Police and Crime Commissioner, to seek to reduce levels of sickness absence from the Force through enhanced support for employees and improved sickness and absence management procedures.

This is a new elected position and one which has huge potential to improve local policing in the Cleveland area and to forge a better and more effective partnership between the Police Force and local people in combating crime, insecurity and ant-social behaviour. My manifesto seeks to achieve this aim.