Steve Lodge pledges proper community policing as Police & Crime Commissioner candidate for the Liberal Democrats
Steve Lodge is the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Devon & Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner election on May 2nd.
Steve has been selected to stand for the role that was created in 2012 to represent the public in Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly and hold the police to account.
With 25 years’ experience in business and governance, including work as a regional officer for the Federation of Small Businesses and as a Non-Executive Director in healthcare, Steve also has a passionate commitment to public service.
He said: “I have huge respect for the police and their excellent work, but on the doorstep I keep hearing that improvement is needed. I especially want to help Devon & Cornwall Police out of special measures, and to build trust in combatting the issues people most care about – from anti-social behaviour and drugs offences to domestic violence and rural crime.
“The need for visible, local policing resonates strongly with almost everyone I speak to. This fits with the pledges made by the Liberal Democrats to steer a return to proper community policing. And by proper we mean a thought-out plan that focuses on more visible engagement with communities.
“Building trust begins with listening, and I want to understand people’s experiences in order to build safer neighbourhoods. It’s not good enough that four in five burglaries go unsolved. It’s not right that anti-social behaviour is allowed to blight people’s lives.
“With this must come a focus on rehabilitation, and preventing crime includes stopping reoffending. I want to support rehabilitation programs that address the root causes of criminal behaviour.
“Above all I want to see fair funding for policing. Every pound should count towards a more effective policing system. We advocate for fair funding and smarter spending focused on outcomes, not just inputs, and I do not underestimate the battle we have to correct the billions cut from police budgets by the Conservatives in the past decade.
“It’s a real honour to be selected to stand, and even more so to have spoken to so many people in Devon and Cornwall about their priorities and concerns. I’ll be committed to upholding the Liberal Democrat values of fairness, equality and liberty – and that means doing my best to get things right.”
Adrian Sanders, former MP for Torbay and Regional Chair for Devon and Cornwall Liberal Democrats, said: “With Steve Lodge we have a great opportunity to put the prevention of crime, restorative justice, and more bobbies on the beat at the top of the agenda.
“We need someone who will put the concerns of people first.”
The Police and Crime Commissioner election is on May 2nd.
Promoted by Todd Olive on behalf of Stephen Lodge (Liberal Democrats), both at The Hive, School Hill, Whimple, EX5 2TS.