The country will on Thursday for the first time elect police and crime commissioners to oversee local law enforcement strategies and the hiring and firing of chief constables.
In the biggest shake-up of British policing for decades, voters will appoint commissioners for each of the country’s 41 forces, but public enthusiasm is low with turnout expected to be around 18 percent, according to the Electoral Reform Society.
The commissioners — who will be elected for four years — will be expected to hold chief constables to account, formulate crime-fighting plans, set the force budget and, where necessary, sack underperforming chief constables.
Critics have blamed the lack of enthusiasm on everything from the November chill to the dearth of big names running for office, with the exception of the former deputy prime minister John Prescott.
The colourful Labour veteran, who famously punched a protester during the 2001 general election campaign, is running for the commissioner job in Humberside, the home of his former seat in parliament.
Ministers insist the commissioners will not be able to interfere with investigations or arrests, unlike in the United States where in many counties elected sheriffs wield direct power over operations.
And while talk of the elections is met by many with a blank stare, analysts say commissioners could catch on if they make the police more responsive to local needs.
Lawrence Sherman, Professor of Criminology at Cambridge University, said the commissioners’ success may depend on whether they can cut crime in this tough environment.
“It’s really quite an extraordinary constitutional creation, and we can’t predict quite how it will work out,” he said.
Polling stations will be open between 7.00am and 10.00pm.
Country set for historic police vote
