Police and Crime Commissioner elections: Meet the candidates

Simon Hayes, who became the county's first-ever PCC when elected in 2012, is standing for re-election alongside six other candidates.

Here we have profiles of each of the seven men hoping to take on the role after the election.

Richard Adair, Liberal Democrat

A RETIRED policeman of 37 years, Richard Adair has served in Portswood and Southampton Vice.

The Lib Dem candidate wants to abolish the PCC but said he would use the role to lobby against cuts of nearly 1,000 frontline officers and 860 backroom staff since 2010.

He said: “There’s a single issue that overrides the other issues – that police numbers have been savagely cut.

“At the end of the day, what I would have to do is go up to the Government and say ‘enough is enough, the people of Hampshire are suffering’.”

Mr Adair has also pledged to improve morale and prevent officers from acting as “social workers” for people with mental health problems.

Simon Hayes, Independent

AS COMMISSIONER since 2012, Simon Hayes has been tasked with handling multi-million pound budget cuts from the Government.

The former Conservative councillor is keen to emphasise inspections which say he has run the office prudently, closing “expensive” police stations and reinvesting cash in the frontline.

Mr Hayes said: “By taking a business-like approach to all we do, operational policing is starting to see benefits. My estates strategy has modernised the constabulary, is saving money while delivering a more efficient and modern working environment for frontline officers."

Mr Hayes said his other priorities are cyber crime, the most vulnerable, working with young people and protecting businesses.

Steve Watts, Zero Tolerance Policing

STEVE Watts began his police career aged 18 and rose to become assistant chief constable after serving in Shirley and Portswood.

He has pledged to “strike fear into criminals and bullies” and cites his experience leading police strategy at regional and national level as the proof.

He said: “I spent most of my adult life serving and protecting the people of the two counties at every level in the Hampshire Constabulary.

“As an ex-chief police officer, I understand policing from the point of view of communities and neighbourhoods to serious and organised crime and counter terrorism. I understand the business and can effectively 
hold the chief constable to account.”

He is understood to have applied to become chief constable last year.

Ron Price, Labour

SOLICITOR and former councillor Robin Price has called for “a lot more” to be spent on policing.

The Labour candidate has criticised Conservative budget cuts and says more resources are needed, particularly in tackling internet crime.

He said: “I am proud that the last Labour Government reduced crime by 43 per cent, but that record is under threat by the current Tory Government. I will fight to ensure that Southampton receives enough resources to tackle crime.”

Mr Price, who opposes the PCC role and plans to merge it with fire authorities, runs his own legal practice on the Isle of Wight and has worked for Portsmouth City Council.

Michael Lane, Conservative

FORMER navy commodore Michael Lane has prioritised domestic abuse, service partnerships and technology in his fight to become police and crime commissioner.

He said: “There is too much crime in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

“And we accept that this is a fact of life too readily.

“I will arrive on day one with the experience and knowledge from having worked in Portsmouth, Southampton, Gosport, Winchester and more widely via Push, the Local Enterprise Partnership and from my community work that includes a role across the Diocese of Portsmouth and thus, like the constabulary area, with contacts and understanding of the Isle of Wight.”

Roy Swales, UKIP

FORMER soldier Roy Swales spent eight years as a beat officer and trained police leaders at Hampshire Constabulary’s leadership department.

The UKIP candidate, from Totton, has pledged to push for more officers and road safety officials, with greater involvement in policing for the public, businesses and charities.

He said: “In a few years Hampshire has lost 1,000 cops and 1,700 staff – you cannot run a 21st century police service in this way. This blinkered approach has seen huge increases in crime and increased danger to the public.”

Mr Swales unsuccessfully fought to become MP for New Forest East in 2015, coming second to Conservative Julian Lewis.

Don Jerrard, Independent

THE Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) is a “gravy train for retired policemen and clapped-out politicians,” according to independent Don Jerrard.

The Southampton-born IT lawyer has pledged not to take a salary and scrap the commissioner’s PR department if elected.

He said: “The OPCC is an unnecessary and politicised tier of government and a waste of public money. Its huge cost would be better spent on police stations to ensure local community policing and intelligence.”

Mr Jerrard stood in the 2012 PCC election, as well as general elections for Ukip and the Justice and Anti-Corruption Party, which he helped set up.
He was cleared in December of assaulting a man trying to serve him court papers.