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The following article appears in this month's issue of the Saltash Observer:

Cornish Candidate says Commissioner Should be Non-Political

Changes in our policing are one of the public’s major concerns. Many fear the effect of a reduction in the police budget and its impact on law and order. In November we will all have the opportunity to register our views on policing in the historic, first-ever, direct public election of a Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall. In your last month’s ‘Observer’ as many of you commented, we allowed one of the political party candidates to be promoted. Since we are open to all who wish to use our columns to put forward their views, we are happy to redress the balance this month by allowing a Cornish Independent
candidate to state his views:

Ten years meeting hundreds of convicted offenders as a volunteer prison visitor, coupled with work at conflict resolution in the Middle East culminating in his heading up a charity ‘The Next Century Foundation’ bent on resolving peace process issues, gives Cornishman William Morris, so he believes, unique experience which he can utilise as Police and Crime Commissioner for the South West. This is a new post which he believes should be firmly established as non political.

All too well aware, from his experience as a prison visitor, of the effect of drugs and alcohol on crime rates and especially concerned that the South West as ‘the end of the line’ has one of the country’s most serious drug scenes, and growing, he is anxious to establish a ‘community detox’ facility to steer young people away from this scene.

At present there are no proper detox facilities in Cornwall for under-eighteens addicted to drug or alcohol abuse. Remedying this, alongside the introduction of more local policing is, he claims, one of the measures he will take by which crime, as well as fear of crime, in towns and rural areas can be drastically reduced.

The vicious cycle of social deprivation leading to reduced expectation and criminal activity in a subculture of crime should be addressed, Mr. Morris considers, as a matter of urgency. One of the many measures he backs is the reintroduction of ‘remand fostering’ for young offenders, and he seeks to recruit experienced foster parents to achieve this.

While national crime figures are falling those in the South West are rising and with a government reduced budget this is clearly a challenge to any elected commissioner. Front line policing must be maintained if not increased, believes Mr. Morris, if necessary by means of reducing bureaucracy. As one whose family is proudly Cornish and whose children have been educated in the county, and whose wife’s teaching career was in Devon, Mr. Morris, who has also served on a regional Public Protection committee, believes he has the knowledge and experience to serve his community in this vital new role. “Once elected I will fight to restore front line police numbers in Devon and Cornwall – we cannot and must not let this decline continue” is his promise.

Use your democratic right to vote. Every registered elector should be receiving a card giving details of where to register a vote for the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner prior to the election on 15th November. Those already registered for a postal vote should receive ballot slips by late October. To hear William Morris speak to a local audience and answer questions there will be a public meeting held in the ‘Ploughboy Inn’ on Thursday 18th October at 7.30 p.m