Monday 10 September 2012

Police & Crime Commissioners, who are they?


It would appear that I am not the only one who is wondering who the prospective candidates are for the new Police & Crime Commissioners office. After contacting both the B.A.S.C and the Countryside Alliance to see if they had any ideas I have received a reply from the B.A.S.C, they too are more than a little concerned with the lack of information pertaining to the candidates, after all it’s less than ten weeks before you get to cast your vote. Despite all the media covering the fact that you will be able to vote for the new Police & Crime Commissioner to the best of my knowledge none of them have presented details of any of the candidates. The following is an extract from the email I received.... “One of the problems with this election has been the lack of information available to voters and even now we do not have a complete list of candidates. With regard to Sussex we understand that the following are confirmed as candidates: Godfrey Daniel for Labour, Katy Bourne for the Conservatives and the following independent candidates: Ian Chisnall, Nigel Goodyear, Philip Jones, David Neilson and Matt Taylor. According to our information the Liberal Democrats have not yet announced a candidate.
Why should this lack of information bother you? Well, whoever does get the job will be responsible for policy in the whole of Sussex. We have had in the past Commissioners and lower ranking officers making policy as they see fit, and then having to fight them in the courts, costing us, the tax payer money. Imagine if the man or woman in the Police & Crime Commissioners job was not supportive of either shooting or the rural way of life, and don’t get complacent, just because you do not take part in one aspect of the hunting or shooting sports don’t think for a minute that your particular branch of the sport will be safe. Those who would deny a target rifle will also deny a shotgun; anti hunting, anti shooting and anti civilian gun ownership groups all walk the same path. Often these individuals will be a member of many anti groups and they will use their position to promote their agenda. The wrong person sitting at the head of the Police & Crime Commission table could mean that resources better spent elsewhere will be used to prevent or stop you from being able to pursue your currently legal pastime or hobby.
As and when more information is available I will post the details for the world to see. I am not telling you to vote for anyone individual, but what I am asking you to do is get informed about the candidates and based upon what you think is important to you, cast your vote for the person you think will best help support and promote in a positive way what we hunters and shooters hold most dear, our way of life.
So before November 15th get informed, make sure that you are registered to vote and then on the day itself, get out and VOTE!!