Meet the Devon and Cornwall Crime Commissioner candidates

VOTERS across England and Wales will go to the polls today to elect a Police Crime Commissioner for each force area outside London. Ten candidates are running for the £85,000 a year position in Devon and Cornwall. They are:

1. ​

   Nicky Williams

2. ​

   William Morris

3. ​

   Tam Macpherson

4. ​

   Ivan Jordan

5. ​

   John Smith

6. ​

   Tony Hogg

7. ​

   Brian Greenslade

8. ​

   Graham Calderwood

9. ​

   Bob Smith

10. ​

    Brian Blake

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Nicky Williams, 41, Labour:

Cabinet member for children and young people on Plymouth City Council, Nicky Williams has a degree in social policy and criminology, and has been closely involved with neighbourhood-led policing in the Honicknowle ward.

She said she would "lobby Government and challenge some of the cuts which are going to be imposed" on the force, adding "it's about prioritising and listening to people".

She said: "I have five key pledges: to oppose the police cuts and challenge the Government budget; keep police on the beat by opposing creeping privatisation; tackle antisocial behaviour and aim to have non emergency victims responded to within 24 hours; work in partnership with the voluntary sector and focus on early intervention and I'm committed to protecting the operational independence of the chief constable."

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William Morris, 62, Independent:

A former farmer, Mr Morris, from Penzance, has worked in the mining industry and heads a charity which works towards conflict resolution in the Middle East.

His interest in crime prevention developed during the ten years he lived and worked in South Wales and volunteered as a prison visitor at Swansea jail.

Mr Morris said he was "acutely aware of the unique problems of the South West" and that "social deprivation is a key cause of crime".

"I will introduce zero-tolerance policing in areas where there are increasing levels of violence and antisocial behaviour," the father-of-three and grandfather-of-one has said.

"I want more restorative justice and community payback.

"My priority is the young and my flagship measure is to introduce a detox centre for the under 21s."

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Tam Macpherson, 41, Independent:

Tam Macpherson, a former Royal Marine and well-known Plymouth businessman, has proposed a radical plan to give Devon and Cornwall separate police forces.

He believes two separate forces would improve policing in an area with one of the biggest rural communities in the UK.

Mr Macpherson said a balance of "transparency and scrutiny" would help improve the police service.

He said: "I am a strong supporter of the police, but I have also been a victim and have been left with the perception that red tape can often stifle good policing.

"I will be the voice of the resident, business and visitor, the victim and the witness; not the political party.

"The future of our police service and justice system should not be decided on the crack of a partisan whip or the colour of a party rosette."

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Ivan Jordan, 39, Independent:

Architect and farmer Ivan Jordan, from Exeter, said he would "focus on prevention, prevention, prevention".

He said he wanted to use the police to "draw agencies together, and attack the root causes of crime: addiction; poor mental health; low education, expectation and experience for young people in particular".

Mr Jordan has said driving down reoffending rates and addressing addiction and mental health issues would "stop a huge drain on police resources".

Savings could be reinvested in community policing, volunteer organisations and protecting the force from further cuts.

"I want justice for all – for everyone in the community, the young, the old, the ethnic minorities, so that everyone gets a say. I want to see partnership-led community policing and no privatisation."

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John Smith, 70, Independent:

A former Liberal Democrat, Mr Smith has served as deputy leader of Devon County Council and as chairman of the Devon and Cornwall Police Authority.

He has also been a board member of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Service, part of the Serious and Organised Crime Agency.

Mr Smith, from Teignmouth, said he would "campaign to have our budgets increased" and "protect police personnel".

He would also look for what "further efficiencies could be achieved with more regional, inter-force cooperation and local council partnerships".

"I'm very keen that we stop people reoffending and that is all to do with how people perceive themselves," he said.

"I also want to support the police – it doesn't serve us well if we have a police force that feels demoralised."

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Tony Hogg, 63, Conservative:

A former commanding officer of RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, Tony Hogg was selected as the Conservative candidate after a series of hustings events.

The Falklands war veteran, from Helston, Cornwall, oversaw 3,000 personnel and an annual budget of £80m.

He has also been the chief executive of BF Adventure, a Cornish charity which uses outdoor pursuits to help turn around the lives of young people.

"I'm resolved to provide a better link with the people of Devon and Cornwall than the existing police authority," he said.

"I want to show strong leadership at a time of enormous change for the police. I also want to raise the agenda of domestic violence, sexual violence and mental health issues.

"I recognise the enormous value the voluntary sector offer in terms of cutting crime."

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Brian Greenslade, 63, Independent:

The Liberal Democrat leader of North Devon Council chose to stand as an independent after opposing Government legislation introducing the commissioner, mainly on the grounds of the politicisation of the police service.

Councillor Greenslade is a former leader of Devon County Council and a former chairman of the Devon and Cornwall Police Authority, which is being replaced by the commissioner.

He said he would look for "every affordable opportunity" to avoid further cuts to police officer numbers.

"I think my experience of policing and crime issues is really quite strong. My top priorities include making a clear commitment to continue funding our PCSOs, rebuilding the cuts in officer numbers once that is sustainable and working with partners in the voluntary sector."

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Graham Calderwood, 67, Independent:

A duty solicitor for 40 years, Mr Calderwood, who lives at Lelant, near St Ives in West Cornwall, has seen the workings of the criminal justice system at first hand.

He said he had decided to stand as an independent in the election as "there should be no role for politics in this position".

Mr Calderwood said he was keen to "keep our bobbies on the beat rather than tie them up for long periods in the custody centres".

He added: "I think the crime commissioner needs to be someone who knows some of the processes of the criminal justice system so they can see where improvements need to be made.

"I'm keen to speed up the process in the police stations, I also want to tackle drugs, which affect so many crimes and ruin so many families."

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Bob Smith, 60, UK Independence Party:

Mr Smith, who lives near Penzance in West Cornwall, was confirmed as UKIP's candidate for the police commissioner election earlier this month.

The psychologist, who is married with four children, has described the new post as "an exciting opportunity to develop an effective and transparent partnership between the police and the community".

"I support a strong, visible and responsive police force," Mr Smith said.

"The new police and crime commissioner should be a member of the community – not just a career politician.

"I will be tough on crime, including low level nuisance crime and antisocial behaviour than can blight communities. I am determined to reconnect the police with the people and their communities."

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Brian Blake, 65, Liberal Democrats:

The former detective chief inspector, from Yealmpton in South Devon, served with Devon and Cornwall Police for 31 years. Now retired, he also worked in personnel vetting for the Ministry of Defence and NATO.

Mr Blake, who twice unsuccessfully stood as a Lib Dem candidate for South Hams District Council, said he favoured a return to "bobbies on the beat", and an emphasis on partnership working to reduce crime in communities.

He has said: "I don't see it as a political role. It's about representing all people in Devon and Cornwall who will be telling the commissioner what they want from their police force.

"It will be up to the winning candidate to deliver."

Mr Blake was selected by the Liberal Democrats despite an initial decision not to contest the election.