Plaid Cymru to fight police and crime commissioner elections

Plaid Cymru will put up candidates for the police and crime commissioner elections in 2016, unlike 2012.

A spokeswoman said the party wanted to abolish the posts, objecting to the cost, "lack of accountability", and "politicisation" of the police.

But she said Plaid would contest the elections in May to make the case for protecting community policing.

Of the four Welsh commissioners, Labour and the Tories have one each, with two independents.

"Plaid Cymru rejects the politicisation of our police forces, the lack of accountability of the Police and Crime Commissioners and the cost of the current system, which is why we believe the posts should be abolished," the spokeswoman said.

"Plaid believes that policing should be devolved to the National Assembly for Wales, with more resources being put towards front line policing for the benefit of our communities.

"In order to be able to make the case for protecting community policing we have decided to field candidates in this election in all police force areas throughout Wales."

Budget powers

Candidates seeking Plaid Cymru nomination for the four posts in Wales will take part in hustings at the party's annual conference in Aberystwyth later in October.

The commissioners have a range of powers including appointing the force's chief constable and setting the force budget, although they have no say over day-to-day policing decisions.

The next elections will be held in May, on the same day as elections to the Welsh assembly.

The Liberal Democrats, who also did not put up candidates in 2012, said they had not decided whether to do so in 2016.

UKIP contested the election for one of the four Welsh posts - North Wales - in 2012.