A candidate in the race to be elected as Hertfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner has said he is ready to make a “positive impact” on policing.

Hertfordshire Liberal Democrats has announced that Sam North, a former police officer, will be their candidate for the upcoming election in May.

Mr North, who says “policing is a fundamental building block of our society”, has set out a six-point plan for policing in Hertfordshire ahead of the election.

This includes supporting officers, reducing crime, mental health provision, equality and opportunity, 21st century policing and tackling serious, organised and gang-related crime.

Mr North said: “Policing is a fundamental building block of our society and must be recognized as being so.

"My plan sets out the foundations for how policing should be done in Hertfordshire. Is it right that less than five per cent of reported rapes are taken to court? That it takes on average two and a half years for a victim of domestic abuse to contact the police?

“I don’t think any of this is right. I believe we are a society that cares.”

He highlighted a survey from the Police Federation in 2020, which shows that there are more staff with lower morale levels then there were in 2019.

He said: “Is this really what our officers deserve? The same officers that put their lives on the line for us every day of the week. We need to provide our officers with the training that they need, the opportunities that they desire and the credit that they deserve.”

Mr North added: “We have a fantastic opportunity this year to make a real positive impact on policing in Hertfordshire, to tackle inequality, improve the working environment for our officers and build a force ready for the future challenges they face.”