John Howson – Best choice for Police Commissioner

As Police & Crime Commissioner I would:

• Emphasise improved detection rates – for years Thames Valley did not solve enough crimes;
• Ensure support for victims of crime is funded and not cut;
• Protect frontline policing including bobbies on the beat;
• Work with other agencies to ensure cases are progressed to court as quickly as possible;
• Consult the public, community groups and elected representatives including town and parish councils about local policing priorities;
• Listen to young people who cannot vote, but need a say about both crime and policing issues;
• Ensure value for money – but protect services to the public.

Thames Valley is a very large police area, the largest non-urban police force in England. It ranges from sparsely populated rural areas in the Chilterns, Cotswolds and Berkshire Downs to urban centres such as Slough, Reading, Newbury, Oxford, Banbury, Bicester, Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Milton Keynes and many other towns and villages.

My key tasks as Police & Crime Commissioner:

• Reduce crime and the fear of crime;
• Improve police accountability, visibility, and work to raise public confidence in the police;
• Target resources on detecting crime and cutting offending rates

My background

• 22 years a Magistrate in Oxfordshire
• Financial experience in the public, voluntary and private sectors, including running my own company.
• National experience of criminal justice system. Led demands to stop police using out of court disposals that prevented cases coming to court and, as a result, victims not receiving compensation.
• Expert on licensing law, and effects of the night time economy.
• Been a victim of crime, including a stabbing and several burglaries.