Take part in police elections if you want to have a say (From Bournemouth Echo)

Take part in police elections if you want to have a say

9:05am Thursday 15th November 2012 in Opinion

Take part in police elections if you want to have a say

WHAT will you be doing today?

The chances are that you won’t be voting or have voted in the elections for Dorset’s police and crime commissioner.

At least that was the prediction, with dire warnings from pollsters and think-tanks that turnout could be as low as 15 per cent, the lowest for any national election in this country’s history.

The doom merchants may be proved wrong and it might not be as bad as feared. A low or dire turnout will have consequences, not least the fact that the new commissioner won’t have much of a mandate and therefore, not much authority.

One government adviser reckons level of turnout won’t matter and that the proof of the pudding will be how effective the commissioners are in setting priorities and cutting crime. The bottom line though is that participation matters.

Decisions are made by those who turn up.