Essex PCC says he will not stand for re-election

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NICK Alston, the police and crime commissioner (PCC) for Essex, has revealed that he will not stand for re-election in May next year because he wants to spend more time with his family.

Mr Alston, who became the country’s first PCC in November 2012, said he felt “immensely privileged” to have been chosen for the role.

During his time in office, the Conservative PCC has given evidence on the harmful consequences of police performance culture to the Public Administration Select Committee and produced what he said was the first ever assessment of specialist support for victims across the county.

Mr Alston said it had been a “really difficult decision” to walk away from the role. “But after a working life of more than 40 years, 35 years of which have been in public service, I will retire in May 2016 to be able to enjoy spending more time with my wife and family, including my three young and vivacious grandchildren,” he said. “I also have a number of developed interests and causes that deserve more of my time than I have been able to give while serving as PCC.”

Mr Alston admitted being “uncertain about the role of PCC” when he first took office. However, he said he was “now convinced that the direct, open and transparent accountability to local people that PCCs provide is becoming an exemplar of effective modern, local democracy”.

His announcement came as he launched the latest Police and Crime Plan for Essex, which focuses on tackling crimes such as child abuse, online grooming, modern slavery and cyber fraud.

Despite taking on the role amid “shrinking resources”, Mr Alston said he remained “determined that Essex Police will be fit to face the ever more complex demands of 21st Century policing”.

In a recent interview, he claimed that “bobbies on the beat” were an “outdated notion” that could be foregone in place of more sophisticated policing methods. “Bobbies have beats because in the old days they didn’t have telephones, they didn’t have cars. Those days went 50 years ago,” he said.