Today, we are publishing election statements from the candidates in the upcoming Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner elections. Here, IAN JOHNSTON makes his case for election.

I WAS born and bred in the county of Gwent. I am a local man.

I am proud to still live in the area where I was brought up.

I completed 33 years’ police service with Gwent Police in 2004 before moving on to serve as the vice-president and president of the Police Superintendents’ Association of England and Wales.

I retired from the police service in 2010. In Gwent I served in all ranks from constable to chief superintendent.

I have worked in all five local authority areas covering the Gwent Police area.

I was a detective officer for the majority of my career and was the head of CID for five years between 1994 and 1999.

I previously served at Newport as a superintendent.

I was the divisional commander at Pontypool, covering all areas of Torfaen and Monmouthshire, and finished my career in Gwent as the divisional commander, covering the Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent local authority areas.

I know the county of Gwent!

As the first ever full-time Welsh president of the Police Superintendents Association of England and Wales I worked at a national level.

I regularly attended meetings with HM government, the opposition and senior civil servants.

I sat on various Home Office committees.

I was fully involved dealing with issues concerning funding, use of resources, accountability, governance and public confidence in the police.

I am standing as an independent candidate because I believe we must “keep politics out of policing”.

I cannot understand how a political candidate funded and supported by a political party can possibly carry out the Police Crime and Commissioner role without “taking orders” from their respective political party headquarters.

I will work WITH elected politicians but FOR the people of Gwent without political interference or influence.

 

Put your questions in live online hustings

THE South Wales Argus is offering readers the chance to get involved in the debate by asking the PCC candidates questions in a special live online hustings this Friday at 2pm.

Each of the four PCC candidates will be live on Twitter answering a series of questions which will be collated in a live blog on www.southwalesargus.co.uk

Just send the questions you want answered to newsdesk@southwalesargus.co.uk and the ten best will be put to the candidates.