Norfolk’s new Police and Crime Commissioner to shine light on force’s ‘brilliant work’

Norfolk’s new police and crime commissioner has spoken about the weight of responsibility resting on her shoulders having taken on the role.

Sarah Taylor is the first Labour Party candidate and woman to take up the post since it was created in 2012.

Ms Taylor, who won this month’s election, having received 52,445 votes, said she is ready for the challenge.

“I am really delighted to have won, and this is tempered with a feeling of the weight of responsibility that comes with this job,” she said.

“This is largely because, during the weeks leading up to the election, I received hundreds of emails from Norfolk people which, in their different ways, told me about a frustration or lack of trust in our police and a feeling of uncertainty that they would be looked after if something happened to them.”

The new PCC hopes she can change that perception over the next four years.

“In recent weeks, people have been telling me that they don’t really know what the PCC does,” she said.

“Bearing in mind this role has existed for 12 years now, I think it is time to address that lack of awareness head on and be more visible and accessible to people across the county so that I can shine a light on some of the brilliant work that is done by our police force.”

Asked what she believes her main objectives are, Ms Taylor said that, first and foremost, she wanted to bring the voice of the communities more clearly into policing.

“I’m also very concerned about cuts to police funding,” she said. “So, with a focus on prevention, I will be spending time looking at how we can bring more resources and, hopefully, funding into policing.”