You may have heard by now that the Conservative candidate is now your PCC. I wish her well in her new role.

For me, I was delighted with my nearly 26,000 votes and my fellow Lib Dems in Derby and Derbyshire are also delighted. The result is remarkable given the huge national swing to the Conservatives at this very unusual time.

I want to say a huge thank you to all who supported the Liberal Democrats and me. I had enormous help from Liberal Democrats throughout Derby and Derbyshire who helped promote me and the PCC campaign and I am enormously indebted to all of them.

But so too to every individual voter. Scanning the ballot papers it was also evident that many, many of you also gave me their second vote, although, in the end, this was of no use to me whatsoever. Nevertheless, I am grateful for that as well.

Yesterday I met the previous PCC in person for the first time and we got on very well. I am very sorry that he has lost his position and I wish him well for his future. I note that he will continue as a Derby Councillor. 

Finally, I wish all of you a safe and happy future. I hope and trust that the relationship between all of you and the police becomes all that I advocated during the election campaign. I urged for more visibility, more accessibility, that the police become more responsive to all of you whatever your need, and that they show compassion to everyone and especially the victims of crime. I will be looking carefully to see how well this is achieved.

All best wishes to every one of you for your own individual future.

Stan Heptinstall
Former Liberal Democrat Candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner for Derbyshire.

I was asked to produce a short 30 second video for the So Derbyshire website.The  remit was - Tell the people for Derbyshire why they should elect you as their PCC. Here it is for you to preview.

A was sent a series of questions about my attitude to policing and I have responded to these directly. Perhaps the following questions and answers are of general interest?

Question: What commitment can you make to promote equality and diversity in the delivery of policing by this force, including in relation to workforce matters?

My answer: I am a Lib Dem and fully approve of our policy of absolute equality for all. I am passionate about it.

Question: Will you commit to rebuild PCSO and police staff numbers in this force alongside the uplift in police officer numbers?

My answer: I approve of the move to increase PC numbers but I am also sure that PCSO’s and all police staff make valuable and unique contributions to the police force. Indeed, because of the knowledge and expertses of such staff, they are absolutely essential to the whole. And the more staff we have, the more time police officers have for front line duties. Increases in numbers should be across the board. 

Question: How will you rebuild neighbourhood policing in this force following the cuts to PCSOs by the last two governments?

My answer: Lib Dem policy is in favour of increased community policing. I was a borough and county councillor for many years and worked closely with police in the ward and division that I represented, and am well aware of the value of this. At this moment I know nothing of the priorities within the existing budget, but you can be assured that my aim will be to give community policing the focus that it deserves.

An important question with my response below:

Good afternoon
I am trying to decide for whom to vote in the May election for Police and Crime Commissioner.  
Would you please tell  me your views regarding fox hunting and the reluctance of police to charge people blatantly breaking the law by continuing with this illegal activity?

My response:

Sure. I am totally opposed to it. And you are right, the police do seem to be reluctant to prosecute. I gained evidence of this first hand last week when I had a video meeting with senior members of the police when I asked them directly when they prosecuted for fox hunting last. They thought there had been a prosecution but it was a long time ago (they couldn’t remember exactly when) and they couldn’t remember whether the prosecution was successful or not. The other day I was interviewed by the BBC for the Sunday politics show and I told the interviewer about the above discussion with the police and told him that I believe the police are totally wrong in ignoring this problem. Incidentally the interview was meant to be shown tomorrow but now I hear it won’t be shown until next Sunday for production reasons. I’ve no idea what they are. I hope you can gather my own views from all of this. 

I received the following from a concerned resident: 

I am writing to you as you are a candidate in the forthcoming elections for Derbyshire PCC.
I recently attended presentations by Dame Sara Thornton DBE QPM, Independent ant-slavery commissioner and Dr Ben Brewster and Dr Phil Northall from University of Nottingham Rights Lab.
As you will be aware Modern Day Slavery is an often hidden and difficult problem to tackle in our communities. In particular I am writing to you about enforced labour, including young people used as mules in County Lines drug distribution. I have read your Election Statement and cannot see any specific reference to the problem of Modern Day Slavery in your aims. Please could you clarify whether you intend to tackle these issues, and if so how much of your budget will be allocated to them?

My reply was as follows:

Thanks very much for pointing out the horrors of modern day slavery. As I have never been the PCC I have no idea how much of the budget is being spent to deal with this or how much should be spent so I can’t answer your question I’m afraid. But please be assured that I completely share your concerns and will do all in my power to do what should be done. You are right, I have not referred to modern day slavery specifically in the literature I have put out so far, but in my head they are part and parcel of the victims of crime, for all of whom I do have a focus of attention. I do hope this helps.

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