VOTERS will go to the polls on Thursday (May 2) to decide who will be tasked with cleaning up crime in the West Midlands.
Two candidates have put their hats in the ring for West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner.
The Conservative candidate, Tom Byrne, will be looking to displace current Labour PCC Simon Foster.
Labour- Simon Foster (incumbent)
During his time in office, Labour PCC Simon Foster has recruited 1,451 additional police officers, invested 570 police officers into community policing and delivered faster emergency response times.
Mr Foster also said he was proud of his record of securing an additional £46million to invest in prevention and victim support.
If re-elected, Mr Foster has pledged to rebuild community policing by deploying an additional 650 police officers and PCSOs.
He has also promised to tackle violent crime, including a focus on knife offences.
He also pledged to combat violence and domestic abuse against women and girls through targeted action and support and prevent children and young people from becoming victims or offenders by safeguarding and promoting their welfare.
Mr Foster will also take action against ‘ruthless suppliers and drug dealers’ profiting from criminal exploitation and promote harm prevention and treatment by way of diversion.
In addition, he has pledged to fight for fair funding to return police numbers to 2010 levels and prevent local council taxpayers from having to pay more for less local policing.
And his top priority is justice, safety and security for the people and communities of the West Midlands.
Tom Byrne- Conservative
Former police officer and Conservative candidate Tom Byrne said he has a plan to cut crime and anti-social behaviour in our region and has claimed the West Midlands has been ‘let down.’
He claimed police-recorded crime has doubled in the past eight years and knife crime rates are the highest in the country.
Mr Byrne vowed to get the police force out of special measures by driving up performance and restoring public confidence.
His plan for change includes immediately halting the proposed police station closures – and conducting a full review of the police estate and the size of the PCC’s office.
He has also vowed to stop wasteful spending and return to proper local policing – deploying more officers to the frontline.
Other plans include cracking down on violent and gang crime – especially involving knives and weapons.
And he will look to seize criminals’ ill-gotten gains and use the Proceeds of Crime Act to bolster the frontline and support victims.
Mr Byrne said: “I’ve walked the beat, attended serious incidents, and commanded the response to firearms incidents.
“I’ve seen how crime affects our communities and I know how important strong leadership is to delivering effective policing.”