CREATING a role that ‘puts the people it is serving first’ would be the aim of a Spalding man campaigning to be elected Lincolnshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner.
Mervyn Barrett launched his campaign as an independent candidate at the Cley Hall Hotel in Spalding.
The 55-year-old, who received an OBE for his work reducing crime in 1999, recently retired as head of resettlement and policy at Nacro, the crime reduction charity, where he worked for 30 years.
He said: “The role of Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire is a hugely important job; too important to be left to politicians. What the role needs is a truly independent person who will stand up for the people of Lincolnshire and, when necessary, call the police to account.
“I have worked in the criminal justice and crime prevention field for 30 years, working with people who commit crime, understanding their motivations and what makes them desist; and working with the police and other criminal justice staff to come up with the best solutions for dealing with crime and offending.
“I’ve written extensively about crime, policing and criminal justice and I’m the author of numerous articles, briefings, reports and practical guides on the subject. I am former editor of Safer Society, a journal for debating practical measures to create a safer, more just and humane society.
“With the police, I have devised and delivered training on policing and crime and, separately, training on sentencing, working with offenders, offence terminology and recruiting safely. I’ve delivered consultancy services around assessing risk and contributed to the debate about crime and criminal justice, through submissions and membership of expert committees.
“I am passionate about creating a police service that puts first the people it is intended to serve, that responds effectively to the needs of victims and addresses people’s fear of crime, which I recognise can be as pernicious as crime itself.”
Elections will take place on Thursday, November 15, across England and Wales.