Vote for your Local Sheriff 15/11/12

[BJF]

This is another trick like the directly elected Mayors.It appears more democratic in that you have a direct vote for the commissioner.But the commissioner will replace the Police AuthorityThe Authority is made from the councillors who have already been elected by the public.So one person from one district of West Yorkshire (none of the candidates are from Leeds) will replace a range of representatives.

[electricaldave]

Voting will only encourage them. If no-one votes, maybe they will get the message

[electricaldave]

VoteNone of the above

[raveydavey]

I understand the idea is that a single elected person is the focal point - so if they make a pigs ear of things you can vote them out and replace them with someone who promises to do better...I'm yet to be convinced though - it just seems to be another layer of cost, political interfering and potential corruption at first glance.

[Loiner1960]

I had to laugh at the title of this thread. I just imagine the Local Sheriffs badge on their lapel.Perhaps this new bloke will report to this person.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Sheri ... orkshireTo whom does this man report? Not any local councils. As the none existant place of "West Yorkshire." has no representatives.Here's an idea. The winner has to ride on a pale horse, green, environmental. Has a place on Briggate with the word "Goal" written on the wall. And much change his name by deed poll to Pat Garrett!

[Jogon]

Technically my thread title SHERIFF is correct and most people would know what meant.The Anglo-Saxon word for chief was gerefa, which was later shortened to reeve (group of 100 families). A new unit of government, the shire (groups of hundreds banded together).To distinguish the leader of a shire from the leader of a mere hundred, the more powerful official name became known as a shire-reeve.The word shire-reeve eventually became the modern word for sheriff (the keeper, or chief, of the county).Sheriff is easier on the ear than "Police and Crime Commissioner".This sounds muddled (crime commissioner?), European, and born of poor English.

[Leodian]

The film 'Support your local Sheriff' with James Garner and the late great Jack Elam is an hilarious comedy western. Sorry that's it's nothing to do with SL but the thread did remind me of the film.

[tilly]

I for one will not be going to vote this time i cant vote on anything i know nothing about i think i will not be on my own i cant wait to see the turn out numbers. All i can say to the winner is may the Force be with you.He He.

[Loiner1960]

Howdy partner! Thank you for the history of the term sheriff.Right here is the con to this whole farce. Presently the Police are overseen by a Police authority. This consists of elected councillors and appointed members, appointed by elected councillors. So there really isn't any democratic deficit. After all council tax is raised for the Police plus central government funding. And we can vote councillors in or out.The "new" system has a directly elected Commissioner, remember them in their uniform at the cinema entrance, who will report annually to..... Police and crime panels, who are locally authority councillors!So this is a new position of Chair of the Police Authority in all but name!The local sheriff will not tell the Chief Constable how to run his force. The local Sheriff will tell the Chief Constable how much money the force has to spend.So it's no different from the present position, except this person gets paid.... £65,000 to £100,000 plus expenses! Which will come from......council tax!Nice little jobs for the boys then. I shall ask if any of the "West Yorkshire!" candidates can ride and shot a six gun!! LOLhttp://youtu.be/nrnZSLwfzVs

[Loiner1960]

I have asked the candidates some questions. I await their replies.