LETTER OF THE DAY: Do we really need a crime commissioner?

I am absolutely furious at the article in The News about the Police and Crime Commissioner being given more money to grow his empire while police numbers are being cut (Anger as 160 job cuts set to hit force but commissioner will increase office, Jan 23).

By The Newsroom

Published 25th Jan 2018, 00:41 BST

Why do we need a crime commissioner anyway?

We managed with a watch committee and a chief constable before.

It is another layer of time wasters – and highly-paid time wasters too.

What is the chief constable doing? I thought she ran the police force.

Perhaps we could find out what the total yearly cost of the crime commissioner’s office is?

Disband it and use the money to employ more policemen.

I have written about this before but we have an unbelievable situation where we have the Hampshire Police and Crime Panel overseeing the police and crime commissioner who is overseeing the chief constable who is overseeing the police force.

Is there any chance we could have a vote at the next council elections as to whether the ratepayers of Hampshire want the police and crime commissioner’s post done away with?

Ted Saunders

Frobisher Grove, Portchester