Police commissioner candidates set out priorities

It is a role due to be scrapped in just two years' time, but seven candidates are vying to become Norfolk's police and crime commissioner (PCC).

The election on 16 July has been called after Sarah Taylor, who stood for Labour but later quit the party in 2025 in protest about the role being dropped, resigned last month.

Commissioners are not involved with day-to-day policing but set the priorities for a police force, hold them to account and, when necessary, appoint a new chief constable.

All seven candidates have been sharing their priorities for the county.

More on the police and crime commissioner election

• Why Sarah Taylor quit as police commissioner
• Why will police commissioner election cost £2m?
• Why are police and crime commissioners being scrapped?

At just 27 years old, if elected, Matthew Taylor would become the youngest commissioner in Norfolk by some margin since the role was created in 2012.

A district and county councillor for Stalham, Taylor said supporting residents affected by crime as a councillor inspired him to take on the role.

He said: "Having supported residents and businesses who are suffering as a result of crime highlights what needs to change."

His three priorities are better supporting victims of crime, action on antisocial behaviour and improving police visibility.

Martin Schmierer, standing for the Green Party, says he wants the job because he "wants to do his bit" to make Norfolk better, although he does not think the role should exist.

He called the election a "waste of taxpayers' money", believing the Police and Crime Panel instead - made up of councillors from across the political spectrum - should perform the duties of a PCC.

Schmierer thinks there should be a change in approach to tackle the underlying cause of crime and wants reform on policing drugs, supporting decriminalising drug use, similar to Portugal's model.

He added there is a "public health tragedy happening in Norwich" and called for safe consumption rooms.

Marcus Pearcey is a well-known businessman from Norwich. He insists he is "not a career politician" but has ambitions to become mayor of Norfolk and Suffolk in the future.

He feels becoming the commissioner will give him a platform he can build on ahead of the mayorship being established in 2028.

Pearcey said being independent will allow him to hold police to account better than candidates from political parties.

"You cannot have a political candidate sitting on top of Norfolk Police," he said, adding: "We can have sensible dialogue and remove politics out of the equation and move communities forward in a kinder, calmer way."

Beth Jones thinks her background as a mental health nurse and Norwich City councillor means she has the right skills to be PCC through her experience of working with vulnerable people.

One of her key pledges is to strengthen support for victims of violence against women and girls, which is one driving factor for her standing.

"I often work with women who have experienced domestic abuse or sexual violence and have seen the lack of joined-up support for them, " Jones said.

Setting up a rural crime unit and doing more to protect vulnerable children at risk of exploitation are other pledges made.

Listen back

• You can find all the police and crime commissioner candidate interviews on the Chris Goreham breakfast show on BBC Sounds
• Interviews took place at 09:10 BST

Chris Brown has been a district councillor for seven years and is currently the leader of the Liberal Democrats at South Norfolk Council.

Like Jones, he wants to see improvements in tackling violence against women and girls, which he said accounts for one in six reported crimes, with many more going unreported.

He also wants antisocial behaviour tackled through prevention initiatives.

Brown said: "The police do not need sudden big changes, but we need to make sure we are reflecting modern expectations.

"We also need better role models for our younger people - preventing crime is far better than detecting it."

Colin Sutton spent 30 years as a police officer, rising to the rank of detective chief inspector, leading major investigations for the Metropolitan Police before retiring to Norfolk in 2011.

He is seeking a return of sorts to policing through standing to be commissioner for Reform UK. He thinks his experience means he "understands how the organisation should work".

Sutton criticised the "current leadership of policing" nationally but said Norfolk had a "very well-performing force".

But he wants more focus on rural crime as he thinks priorities are "too focused on our city and towns".

Mark Buckton is a former officer in the British Army and says he has worked all over Norfolk.

He said his own experience of crime and antisocial behaviour inspired him to run for commissioner, a role he says is "crucial".

Buckton said "tackling two-tier policing" was his lead policy, adding: "The indigenous people of this island are not being looked after by this government."

But when pushed on providing examples of two-tier policing in Norfolk, he said it is a "softer" issue here, and people have complained antisocial behaviour is treated differently among certain groups.

A spokesperson for Norfolk Police said: "As a constabulary, we are committed to fair and impartial policing of our communities and being transparent in how we deliver services."

Polling stations are open from 07:00 BST and close at 22:00 on 16 July. Voters must bring a valid photo ID.

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