On 15 November 2012, for the first time ever, the public across England and Wales will elect a police and crime commissioner who will be accountable for how crime is tackled in their police force areas.
The role of the Police and crime commissioner
Police and crime commissioners (PCCs) will aim to cut crime and deliver an effective and efficient police service within their force area.
To provide stronger and more transparent accountability of the police, PCCs will be elected by the public to hold chief constables and the force to account; effectively making the police answerable to the communities they serve.
Police and crime commissioners will ensure community needs are met as effectively as possible, and will improve local relationships through building confidence and restoring trust. They will also work in partnership across a range of agencies at local and national level to ensure there is a unified approach to preventing and reducing crime.
PCCs will not be expected to run the police. The role of the PCC is to be the voice of the people and hold the police to account and the 15th is your chance to vote for who will represent the whole of Lancashire.
You can learn more about PCCs by clicking here