Police & Crime Commissioners - will anybody vote and is it a waste of time and money?

November 15th 2012 will see Police and Crime Commissioners  (PCC's) elected in some 41 areas throughout England and Wales (excludes London apparently).

Does anybody know what this is about? Why do we need them, what they will do, will they need an army of support workers, fancy offices like most Police HQ's?

Now I'm not against authority, indeed very much appreciate what the Police do for us, but I cannot understand why this position is necessary. Supposedly giving the public a say, but when did the average person ever attend a meeting, until it was too late that is?

It's beyond me, so what about your thoughts members? Tell me what you think about it please. Can it be justified, or will it be quickly dumped as soon as the next Government gets in?

According to local radio to-day -half of the residents dont have an idea who they will be voting for-in my eyes a complete shambles.

A wage of £100-000 per annum was mentioned--not bad is it.

England's crime was talked about over here on the radio recently and the gal said that she was given an report on the "camera" situation in London... and that it has not stopped crime in the least bit. it's just as high as it's ever been. Yet you have spent tremedous amounts of money installing them to deter crime. It starts in the "home" Ron...if your an honest person...and you raise your kids honest...most often there may not be to many problems later on.

Who was it that said you can't "legislate" morality...it's either there or it's not.

I think drinking and and drugs has more to do with crime these days then anything...not only in the abuse of substances..but in the need for money to feed an "habit". It's not about saying to someone they can't do this or that either...it's about having them understand what "balance" should be in thier life...and that they should always seek to live responsible and and moral. There are poeple out in the world that can not be happy unless they are sloppy drunk and higher then an kite... and make no sense to others. To me that is NOT fun. But then again..I think those home video shows on TV that show people's mistakes..... to the point of them hurting themselves physically isn't "humor" either...not when happening it's real life.  

if you really want to curtail "crime" then make it easier for people to not have to have money to live. Stealing starts out from the person doing it having an inadequacy of some kind. Most often an means of supporting themselves easier. some crime is an matter of "can I get away with it" also...esp amoung the teenagers these days. You know we live to waste money I think. But it would be nice if we could waste it in better ways. i honesty think our planet unless it's helped is near the brink of totaly collpase in nature and all that lives in it at times..it would be an good place to begin. Planting an sustaining the planet again and balancing out what we do daily toward it. It's impossible to incarcinate the entire population because they have  issues in livabilty these days.

>>>Shirley says: Yet you have spent tremendous amounts of money installing the cameras to deter crime. It starts in the "home" Ron...if you're an honest person...and you raise your kids honest...most often there may not be too many problems later on.

Totally agree Shirley!

We recieved our voting papers last week, it's supposed to be a non political post, I saw the candidates, 1 Conservative, 1 Labour, 1 Lib - Dem, all of them appeared on the TV, not one question answered by any of them, the voting papers have gone through the shredder.

Complete waste of time an money in my opinion. 

The problem with today's kids is that they are not disciplined properly because the "do-gooders" have banned giving them a darn good smack when they need it. Teachers csnnot controll them and neither can parents. I hate to say it but this form of political correctness seems to have been improted from the 'states.

Our generation was mostly ok because if we stepped out of line we got clip alongside t'ear'ole or a whack on the bum.

SA is the same now. Kids have no respect for their elders or the law.