CONTROVERSIAL plans for a directly elected commissioner to oversee South Yorkshire Police could cause chaos, Brightside MP and former Home Secretary David Blunkett warned this week.
He predicted that the Police and Crime Commissioner will spend their time "agonising" over which services to cut – instead of helping to crack down on crime.
His comments came after Home Secretary Theresa May unveiled the "most radical reform of po
licing for 50 years".
Under her plans, the South Yorkshire Police Authority – an organisation made up of councillors and independent members which holds the force to account – will be abolished.
Instead an election will take place in May 2012 to appoint a commissioner who will have the power to hire and fire the Chief Constable.
The commissioner, who will be able to serve a maximum of two terms of four years, will have the job of ensuring police respond to local priorities and are directly accountable to the public. They will also set the police budget.
Mr Blunkett fears the overhaul will detract from "draconian" funding cuts.
"Anyone elected to these new super-duper positions will have to spend their time agonising over what has to be cut rather than investing in the protection of people in the community from organised criminality.
"The coalition government is reorganising everything and the consequence of reorganisation tends to be chaos."
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