Former Chief Constable wants top job
Med Hughes
FORMER Chief Constable Med Hughes has thrown his hat into the ring in the fight to become the county’s first ever Police and Crime Commissioner.
Mr Hughes, who retired from South Yorkshire Police in October after seven years, has put himself forward to become the Labour Party candidate for the vacancy.
An election for the position is to be held in November.
Police and Crime Commissioners are being brought in to replace Police Authorities, which are currently made up of a number of councillors who oversee the way police forces are funded and perform.
The successful candidate will then have sole responsibility for making sure the county’s police force represents the interests of local people.
And they will also have the power to hire and fire Chief Constables.
“It is important that you get a wide variety of candidates for the Labour Party to decide on,” he said.
“These are new posts and there will be lots of different ways of them operating.
“While I may be unskilled in the process of elections, I certainly know my way around the local political structure.
“I think I am better placed than some of the other candidates to represent South Yorkshire on the national stage and to fight our corner in Westminster.”
Mr Hughes said if he lands the top job, he would not interfere with the operational decisions made by the Chief Constable who replaced him - David Crompton.
“The Chief Constable will remain independent of political interference in his operational decisions and I would fiercely defend that independence,” added Mr Hughes.
“My job would be to make sure the interests of the public are represented.
“I would not interfere in the operational decisions of the Chief Constable.”
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Weather for Sheffield
Thursday 24 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 25 C
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