“No politics in policing”.
This was Ed Shone’s slogan in his bid to become Lancashire’s police commissioner (PCC).
So it has left a somewhat bitter taste that the four people standing for the controversial new post are all politicians.
The 64-year-old grandfather, who had a varied career as a policeman, a barrister and a prosecutor, withdrew his bid due to a lack of funds and today attacked the system, branding it unfair and open to corruption.
He said: “ The system is flawed. They are trying to make our policing like the USA, it will become like having Commissioner Gordon in Batman. I’m not surprised people have been apathetic about it.
“I think the Police Authority does a good job, why fix something that isn’t broken?
“I only decided to stand because I was worried someone with no experience of policing the streets could get in and felt I had a wealth of experience.
A group of retired officers who shared my concerns asked me to consider it.”
He added: “But to run a successful election you have to have £15,000. I understand that candidates must have a certain amount of money to try and stop any idiot from putting in for it, but a £5,000 deposit is very steep and it closes the chance to a perfectly good candidate who lacks money.
“It makes it a system where well off people or those who enjoy the backing of a political party are the only ones with a chance. That isn’t right. It will be open to abuse.
“It’s a job where you have to have been on the beat to truly understand the challenges.
The Police Authority will be replaced by a PCC directly elected by Lancashire voters who will have the power to hire and fire the Chief Constable and who be held to account by a separate Police and Crime Panel.
The Government believes police authorities have not been visible to the public and have not served as a direct link between the public and police.
Ed, a married dad-of-one, was a police cadet and joined Lancashire Police in 1967, serving in Preston and Lytham.
He was promoted to custody sergeant at Lawson Street, Preston and also spent time training new recruits in Warrington.
But a tragic accident, in which he suffered a broken neck as he and a colleague chased a stolen car, ended his policing career.
After being medically retired he enrolled on a criminology course and then a law degree at UCLan in Preston.
He was called to the bar in 1998 and worked as a defence barrister and prosecutor.
• See LEP 29/10/12 for our special Police Commissioners report.
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