Crime tsar Arfon to step down at election
COMMISSIONER WON’T CONTEST POLL
NORTH Wales’ Police and Crime Commissioner has announced plans to step down.
Arfon Jones became only the second person to hold the post in North Wales when he was elected back in 2016.
He was due to stand in the 2020 Police and Crime Commissioner election but that was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The former police inspector and county councillor says that the decision to retire at the end of his current term was reached only recently.
He said: “The main reason I have decided not to seek re-election is that I will have been working for more than 46 years by the time of the next election.
“As a result of the pandemic, the term of office was extended for a year. I started thinking about this last May but I didn’t talk to anybody else about it until three months ago.
“I have achieved a lot in the past five years and it is going to be more difficult to make a difference next time because of the pandemic, Brexit and the fact that the term of office has been curtailed to three years.”
After retiring from North Wales Police in 2008, Mr Jones served two terms as Plaid Cymru county councillor for the Gwersyllt West ward on Wrexham County Borough Council before succeeding Winston Roddick in the £70,000 a year police and crime commissioner job on a Plaid Cymru ticket.
Mr Jones described his election to lead the police force he had served for 30 years, both in uniform and as a detective, as “one of the proudest moments” of his life.
One of his earliest announcements was that North Wales Police would become one of the first forces to issue body worn video cameras to all front line officers.
A long-time campaigner for drugs legislation reform, he spoke of his pride in the Checkpoint Cymru scheme, aimed towards steering low-level offenders, including people caught with drugs for personal use, away from crime.
However he has also been involved in his fare share of controversy during his time in the role.
He recently refused to apologise after describing voters who backed Brexit as “turkeys voting for Christmas” on Twitter.
Last month it was also revealed he was being referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct after a report published on his behalf was alleged to contain details which could help lead to victims of sexual offences being identified.
Mr Jones also referred the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office himself.
According to Mr Jones, the biggest single decision taken during his term of office was the appointment of a new Chief Constable, describing his delight with the “excellent leadership” of Carl Foulkes since he got the top job.
He added: “I’m just blown away by the professionalism of young officers that I’ve met over the last five years.
“Nothing stands still with policing. Our officers are having to deal with new and worrying trends like online crime and child sex abuse.
“But these are not issues that the police can tackle alone – for example, internet service providers can do a lot to prevent online grooming and the abuse of children.
“In an ever-changing world, the criminals are adapting and the police have to adapt equally quickly, which is why we have increased the staff in the Victim Help Centre.”
The vote to choose his successor is expected to coincide with the next Welsh Senedd election, which is currently set to take place on May 6.