I SUPPORT Hamish Sandison for the election of police commissioner for Gwent on November 15.

As an experienced lawyer, Hamish knows the law and is completely independent of the police, trained to see both sides of the issues, prepared to ask tough questions of top ministers and civil servants. His and my priorities include protecting neighbourhood policing, tackling anti-social behaviour, supporting the victims of crime, above all domestic and hate crimes. As a chairman of a Neighbourhood Watch, I am pleased that he is opposed to government cuts in police funding which have led to the closure of front desks at police stations. Like a past secretary of state for Wales, I feel that Hamish Sandison has the legal skills, the business acumen and the political experience to make a very formidable police and crime commissioner for Gwent.

John Garwell, Usk Road, Pontypool