Brighton candidate for police commissioner urges government rethink

One of the candidates to be the first elected police commissioner for Sussex has called on the government to make a better job of telling the public about the ballot.

Ian Chisnall, who is standing as an Independent in the election for the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner post, has added his name to a letter co-ordinated by the Electoral Reform Society.

The letter was sent to the government last week calling for better communication being provided to electors before polling day on Thursday 15 November.

Ian Chisnall

Mr Chisnall, from Brighton, went further than the other signatories and questioned the title of the new job.

He said: “The term Police and Crime Commissioner sounds as though the person elected will be commissioning crime which is clearly not the intention.

“Whoever dreamt up the title in Whitehall should be given a long community service sentence for misusing the English language or sent back to school for remedial English lessons.

“While the Act of Parliament does define this title, I believe it is not too late to begin to refer to this role using more appropriate terminology.

“Assuming we are probably stuck with the initials PCC, when I am elected I plan to refer to this role as it should have been named – Preventing Crime Commissioner.

“I will use my powers to slowly shift my budgetary priorities towards effective crime prevention measures, allowing more police resources to be deployed on the most serious issues.

“This is a focus that is fully consistent with the origins of policing and the work of Sir Robert Peel whose name has been linked to a number of so called ‘Peelian Principles’, the first of which is: The basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder.”