Cambridgeshire and Peterborough residents will go to the polls on 2 May to elect a new police and crime commissioner (PCC) – a political role designed to act as the voice of the people and hold the police to account. We put some key questions to the three candidates to help you decide.
Darryl Preston, Conservatives
What should readers know about you?
Since 2021, it has been an honour for me to serve as the police and crime commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. I have dedicated my life to protecting the public, working in both frontline and neighbourhood policing. I was a serving police officer – first in the Metropolitan Police and then in Cambridgeshire, retiring as a senior detective.
Following this, I became a senior policy advisor for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, working across Whitehall influencing national policy on major issues such as serious violence, organised crime and cyber crime. I live locally with my wife and children.
What would your priorities for Cambridgeshire be if elected as PCC?
1. Continue combating crime and ASB – much more investment in local policing.
2. Put communities first – ensuring the police are visible and improving 101, the non-emergency phone number.
3. Work to make our roads safer – with further investment to reduce speeding and preventing casualties.
4. Continue the fight against drugs and violence – more investment in prevention to reduce demand, dismantle county line drug gangs and associated violence.
5. Maintain my commitment to combat rural crime – increased investment in tackling rural crime.
6. Prevent crime – with more investment in early intervention schemes, including beating the scourge of domestic and sexual violence.
How would you help to reduce violent and drug-related crimes in Cambridgeshire?
As police and crime commissioner, I have led the response to violent and drug-related crime. I have secured £1m of additional government funding for the provision of 40 prevention initiatives such as youth workers. With a sharp focus on early intervention, I have supported 69 projects with a youth fund, including county lines awareness sessions in our schools.
I have made reducing serious violence a priority and, as a result, knife crime is down by 25 per cent, with 54 per cent fewer hospital admissions. However there is more to be done, and if re-elected in May I will prioritise tackling ‘recreational drug use’.
How would you tackle burglaries – business and residential – in Cambridge?
Having been a victim of burglary and a former police officer, I know just what an abhorrent crime it is, an invasion of our home or business.
That is why I have made this a priority to tackle and am pleased that burglary is now down a massive 45 per cent in Cambridge.
If elected in May I will continue to prioritise reducing burglary, ensuring the police attend all reports and investigate fully. However, prevention is better than the cure, so I will continue to invest in preventative services such as additional security for those most vulnerable and the rehabilitation of prolific offenders.
Do we have enough frontline police officers?
While we have record numbers of police officers in Cambridgeshire (400 more than 2015), if re-elected in May I will continue to fight for fairer funding from the government to ensure the chief constable has extra resources for both
frontline and support services to police effectively our great county – more officers has already resulted in:
\- Neighbourhood crime is down 24 per cent
\- Anti-social behaviour is down 30 per cent
\- Knife crime is down 25 per cent
\- Bike theft is down 60 per cent in Cambridge
\- Roads are safer with serious injuries and fatalities down
\- Shoplifting is down 14 per cent
\- Rural crime is down 21 per cent, hare coursing down 73 per cent
Anna Smith, Labour
What should readers know about you?
As deputy mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough I am already leading our region. I have what it takes to deliver a fresh start for local policing.
I have the skills, determination and public service commitment to be a visible, pro-active and successful PCC.
I bring years of experience in leading in the public sector – in schools, at Cambridge City Council, as acting mayor and as deputy mayor. I’m driven by wanting to make a difference to people’s lives. As PCC I’ll want everyone to feel safe at home, at work, and in daily life. anna4labour.com has more about me.
What would your priorities for Cambridgeshire be if elected as PCC?
\- A responsive police service. I’ll champion neighbourhood policing. I’ve already acted to create safer streets and to tackle environmental crime.
\- Prevent crime. Promote safety at home and at work. As a former teacher, I know it’s important to stop young people being drawn to crime.
\- Join up services. I work with agencies, businesses and voluntary groups to get results. I did this during the pandemic, I did this addressing domestic abuse. I’ll do it as PCC.
\- Zero-tolerance for violence. Tough on crime and the causes of crime.
\- Make your voice heard. I’m already holding community meetings to hear from residents.
How would you help to reduce violent and drug-related crimes in Cambridgeshire?
I support Labour’s mission to halve violence against women and girls and halve incidents of knife crime.
A third of 101 calls currently ring off. I’ll work to give residents the confidence that it’s worth reporting drug dealing; make reporting easier and provide feedback. And we must target hotspots effectively through good data.
I want to establish a women’s safety unit, like West Yorkshire’s.
We must work together to prevent and tackle violent crime. I will unite agencies across policing, criminal justice, education, media and community services. I have practical experience in youth work, safeguarding, and police liaison.
How would you tackle burglaries – business and residential – in Cambridge?
I have heard shocking stories about theft and online fraud. Raids on shops and shop worker abuse is commonplace.
My top priority is responsive, visible neighbourhood policing. It’s a deterrent. It makes a difference in responding to crime. I will agree clear targets with the chief constable to ensure criminals are caught and prosecuted. Charge rates here have fallen to just 6 per cent. I want to see better security advice including good locks and protecting yourself online. I’ll set up a schools programme, and find ways to help people on lower incomes keep their homes secure.
Do we have enough frontline police officers?
No. Lots of people say they never see an officer. The population here has grown, yet the funding for the police has not kept up. The Tories have slashed the number of PCSOs here from about 200 to around 20, and police officers are often used to replace ‘civilian’ support staff. Community links are broken.
Labour will put police back in town-centres, neighbourhoods and villages, with increased patrols and 13,000 more neighbourhood police and PCSOs. Neighbourhood policing will be central to my police and crime plan. And I’ll set up a review of the closures of police station walk-ins.
Edna Murphy, Liberal Democrats
What should readers know about you?
I’ve got a lot of experience working in the criminal justice system, working as a magistrate for 26 years, including many as a youth justice. As such I’ve had to make difficult decisions, weighing evidence and considering all points of view. It’s given me a good understanding of the whole criminal justice system, not just policing. I’m chair of the Cambridgeshire Fire Authority, a county councillor and have been a 6th form governor. I have had a professional career working in higher education.
What would your priorities for Cambridgeshire be if elected as PCC?
I’ll fight for fair funding, but also smarter spending. Cambridgeshire police are underfunded compared to similar forces elsewhere in the country. But equally, residents’ experience of the police needs to improve.
The time it takes for the police to respond to, for example, burglaries is one of the worst in the country.
I’ll champion effective crime reduction strategies such as restorative justice, do more about prolific offenders, and prioritise evidence-driven community policing so police are more accessible and visible.
Above all, I’ll ensure that the police are proactive and treat victims with respect, not just as statistics.
How would you help to reduce violent and drug-related crimes in Cambridgeshire?
Firstly these offences need to be investigated more successfully, and the offenders brought to court.
It’s for the courts to decide sentences but it should often be possible to design sentences that change offenders’ future behaviour, not just to punish them.
For example in drugs cases the offender is often a user and has problems with addictions and all the problems associated with that, and with violent offending there could be underlying mental health problems. Effective interventions can prevent or at least reduce future offending, which would make a significant impact.
How would you tackle burglaries - business and residential - in Cambridge?
Police response times to burglaries in Cambridgeshire have declined massively in the last three years and are now on average 15 hours from the offence being reported, well below the national average of nine hours.
This is not only bad for victims’ sense of security. It also means that valuable evidence can be compromised. It is vital that response times come down.
Do we have enough frontline police officers?
No, but I also question some current priorities. For example the biggest type of crime these days is fraud, comprising 48 per cen of all crimes. It can be devastating to victims and it is also under reported. Yet Cambridgeshire only employs four officers to prevent fraud. Another example is restorative justice, which can be very helpful for victims, and also reduce reoffending by challenging offenders’ behaviour and thinking. Yet Cambridgeshire only employs one person to deliver it. Much of local policing is driven by Home Office national targets which are of limited relevance locally: I would champion local residents’ priorities instead.
