Devon and Cornwall Police face losing 700 officers by 2015 because of Government imposed budget cuts – one of the highest numbers of any force in the country. Conversely, the force has one of the lowest council tax precepts. If elected, would you increase the amount people in Devon and Cornwall pay for their policing or accept the Government's offer of a 1% increase in grant in exchange for freezing council tax?
In 2011-12 Devon and Cornwall saw an increase in crime of 6% – the worst in the country and double that of any other force. As Devon and Cornwall's first police and crime commissioner what would you do to ensure that trend is reversed and crime begins to fall again?
The public consistently ask to see "more bobbies on the beat". In such a rural force as Devon and Cornwall how would you go about achieving that?
