From greater support for victims to stopping closures of police stations, candidates for West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner have set out their priorities.

The winning candidate after election day on May 6 will be responsible for holding West Midlands Police and Chief Constable Sir David Thompson to account.

The commissioner will also be responsible for setting the police and crime objectives for the force as well as its budget.

Outgoing PCC David Jamieson (Lab) has also been the face of the force at weekly Covid-19 regional media briefings since the start of the pandemic.

Simon Foster (Labour)

Simon Foster, a legal aid solicitor who specialises in housing law, is running for PCC on behalf of the Labour party.

His pledges include putting 450 extra community police officers on the streets, making violence against women and girls a top priority and investment in youth services and support through schools to prevent knife crime.

Mr Foster said: “The principle pledge is around rebuilding community policing. We say that over the last ten years, community policing has been dismantled.

“We want to get 450 extra community police officers out on the streets, keeping the community and people of the West Midlands safe.”

On domestic violence, he said the death of Sarah Everard has showed an urgency to “redouble our efforts” and has pledged to extend the network of domestic violence advocates.

He has said he wants to be a “people and communities” PCC and also flags the key themes of “justice, safety and security”.

Jay Singh-Sohal (Conservative)

Jay Singh-Sohal is running on behalf of the Conservative party, with a particular focus on stopping the closures of police stations around the region.

His pledges include stopping the closure of police stations, “maximising” the West Midlands’ share of funding for new police officers from Government.

The Army Reservist and strategic communications director also wants to “cut out politics and waste”, “prioritise resources to target crime” including through Stop and Search.

He has said he wants to “bring strong leadership to tackle youth crime and reoffending” and “ensure victims of crime are given they support they need” – for instance, through a new online portal.

He said: “When I looked at it and thought about it – my local police station in Sutton Coldfield is threatened with closure and the amount that people like me are paying for precepts is going up – that did not sit comfortably with me as a Conservative.”

Julie Hambleton (aka Jools Hambleton, Independent)

Julie Hambleton (aka Jools Hambleton) is a former university lecturer who has campaigned on behalf of the victims of the Birmingham bombings – including her sister Maxine Hambleton – for ten years.

Ms Hambleton said there is a “lack of transparency” around the PCC’s activity which she aims to change.

She said: “I would demand a full review of West Midlands Police, from the top to the bottom to restore trust and remove the politics.

“I am as apolitical as they come. The PCC is meant to be impartial and if you are aligned, you won’t be completely impartial.

“[The bombings] would still be on my agenda as the PCC. Whoever gets voted in, it will be on their agenda – not that anything has been done for us by the current PCC.”

She added she would be “flying the flag for victims, being a family member of a victim”.

Desmond Jaddoo (We Matter Party)

Bishop Dr Desmond Jaddoo is a social justice activist who is representing the new We Matter Party, which describes itself as the first black-led political party in the UK.

He said: “My priorities are trust and confidence, to tackle issues around inequality, hate crime, issues around women and the safety of women.

“Also safer streets for our communities, issues of youth violence.

“I will deal with not just the issue of recruiting police officers who look like the communities they are supposed to serve, but dealing with the issue of greater reflective governance at the senior level.”

He also stressed the importance of neighbourhood policing and the need for “proactive rather than reactive” strategies for deterring crime – including “ultimately gang and knife crime”.

He added: “The region needs a breath of fresh air. I will be everybody’s PCC – not just the people who voted for me.”

Cllr Jon Hunt (Lib Dem)

Cllr Jon Hunt (Lib Dem) is using the headline ‘make policing local’ and is concerned with the closure of police stations and increasing the size of community police teams.

The leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Birmingham City Council described working as a councillor with the community in Perry Barr and policing teams to bring about a cut in the speed limit of the A34 Walsall Road following the death of Sarah Child in 2012.

This led to restorative justice sessions where speeding motorists met with families of victims.

He said: “Being on the local police team needs to be a career destination where they are bringing lots of skills to their community.”

He also wants to drastically reduce the cost of the PCC’s office, including “boiling PCC staff down to the necessary support staff”.

Mark Hoath (Reform UK)

Mark Hoath, who has worked as a local director for Lloyds Bank and is running for Reform UK, said he has been concerned by a rise in types of crime including violent crime in the last year.

He said: “One of the things I am really fed up with is being worried when my daughters go out.

“I think it’s time for a change – time for something different to what Labour or the Conservatives are offering.”

He talked about introducing a more “preventative strategy” rather than a “let’s-catch-criminals-after-the-event strategy” and following the “broken windows” criminological theory.

He said: “It means more police on the streets on foot to deter crime. If someone gets away with a small crime, it could lead to them thinking they can get away with major crime as well.”

ENDS