Use your vote, take politics out of policing

THE election of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) takes place on May 5. There are six candidates in Dyfed-Powys, but only one is standing as a truly “independent” candidate – Dr Edmund Davies. He has had no financial assistance to stand as an independent PCC candidate, unlike others.

When appointed as a DyfedPowys police officer I had to attest to “well and truly serve the Queen with fairness, integrity and impartiality”. It seems the police are now being required to serve a political party and not an independent Queen, in that the PCC controls the direction of the force by having a direct influence on policy.

PCCs are also required to swear an “oath of impartiality”when elected to office. Has this been the case so far in Dyfed-Powys, where national political party policy on austerity has had such an influence on decisions made?

The position of PCC can almost be viewed as a dictatorship, in that the person elected can only be suspended from office by the overseeing Police and Crime Panel for a criminal offence. The panel has no general overseeing power on decisions made by the PCC. Is that a proper democratic process ?

The forthcoming PCC election has become a political football, where “law and order” seem to have taken a back seat, with social policy dominating the manifestos.

Whatever your political allegiance, I urge you to support the only independent candidate, Dr Edmund Davies, a former county councillor, who has no political master to answer to.

Make a stand against political interference in policing, and let us return to having a non-political police serving our Queen once again.

Nigel Williams. Bolahaul Road, Carmarthen