Police Authority chair latest to enter Cambridgeshire commissioner race

RUTH Rogers is the latest hopeful to announce her intention to stand in the election to become Cambridgeshire’s first police and crime commissioner.

Mrs Rodgers is the current chairman of the Cambridgeshire Police Authority, which is to be replaced by the commissioner role in November.

She hopes to be nominated on the Labour Party shortlist and is due to take part in an interview process on Saturday, March 24.

“It will be a challenge as one person will have to do the work of 17 police authority members, and the role will also incorporate crime and looking at how the whole system works,” she said. “I want to make sure the police and the legal system are more efficient.

“It has been hard for the last few years making cuts and, as these things go, the first cuts are always the easiest to make. It’s going to get even harder.”

The Conservatives are also drawing up a list of possible candidates, including former Cambridgeshire County Council leader Shona Johnstone, but the Liberal Democrats have ruled themselves out, stating the role should be non-political.

Mrs Rogers added: “It would be hard to stand as an independent, as the candidate would have campaigning and canvassing seven constituencies – you need the party machine behind you.”

Former Conservative district councillor Paul Dakers, from St Ives, wrote to The Hunts Post with his intention to stand as an independent candidate.

Labour may name more than one person when its candidates are revealed on June 15.