Col Tim Collins wants to run Kent Police

Colonel Tim Collins explains what he would do for Kent if elected as the first ever police commissioner

AN ARMY veteran famed for his inspirational eve-of-battle speech to troops in the Iraq War has vowed to make radical changes to Kent Police if elected as the county’s first police commissioner.

Col Tim Collins says volunteer officers should get council tax discounts, and there should be more transparency in police investigations.

Col Collins was awarded an OBE for his morale-boosting message in March, 2003 – a copy of which was hung in the Oval Office by then-President George W Bush – reveals his top priorities in an exclusive article for KoS, highlighting his desire to involve the public in the way the force is run.

The 51-year-old, who lives in Whitstable, said he would push for major changes in volunteering, create greater transparency of operational information, and ensure greater rights for victims.

He writes: “I believe very strongly that the people of Kent need to feel a greater degree of ‘ownership’ over their force, not in the sense of interfering with operational independence, but in having a bigger role in how it is run and how they’re given information about what is being done and why.”

He expressed concern over the lack of Special Constables in Kent – where there are now fewer than 400 – and proposed the creation of a Kent Police Reserve and a discount in council tax for those who volunteered to serve.

“There are many fine men and women serving the community as Specials, but I want to introduce a new tier which is around people giving what time they can and ultimately acting as a strategic reserve to be used during crisis situations,” he said.

Col Collins, who resigned from the Army a year after his awe-inspiring speech and now runs a firm training foreign police officers, also stated his belief that there needed to be greater transparency of operational information to engage the public in solving crime.

“For example, why shouldn’t we have a local equivalent of the sort of top 10 ‘wanted list’ that you see the FBI use to great effect? Shouldn’t we all be contributing to running down those criminals causing the greatest harm in Kent and working with the force to bring them to justice?”

He also stressed his desire to equip victims with more rights: “The criminal needs to be afraid of committing crime in Kent, and victims must know that the system is on their side.”

Col Collins announced last October that he wanted to be the Conservative candidate in the elctions to become Kent’s first elected Police and Crime Commissioner. He is believed to have won the backing of Prime Minister David Cameron and many Kent MPs, but is not yet the official Tory candidate.

PPCs are due to be introduced in November and will replace the police authorities currently responsible for hiring chief constables and holding them to account.

Kent Police Authority is chaired by Ann Barnes, who sits as one of seven independent members alongside seven Tories, one Labour and one Lib Dem.

The PCC – who will serve a four-year term – will have the power to hold the force to account, determine the policing strategy for the area, set the budget and issue a five-year policing plan.

Col Collins, who was born in Belfast and served in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq before leaving the Army in 2004, said he was inspired by former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who reduced crime through tougher policing.

But chairman of Kent Police Federation, Ian Pointon, said this achievement in America was not just through tougher policing, but an increase in officers.

Kent Police is currently battling to save £50 million over the next four years due to a 20 per cent cut in government funding.

Around 1,500 jobs are on the line, including 500 officers and 1,000 support staff.

Mr Pointon said: “While I have huge respect for Col Collins, this is the police, it’s not the military, and he needs to be more engaged with policing.

“That means talking to officers and staff from the bottom to the top.

“I can see candidates making headline grabbing statements, which they won’t be able to deliver. They need to get a better understanding of what policing is about and become more engaged.”

Asked what he thought of Col Collins’ proposals about volunteer policing, Mr Pointon said: “I’ve got a great deal of respect for people who volunteer for the police and give up their time, but we can’t run a professional public service like a church bazaar. Volunteers are important, but we need serving police officers.”

He added: “Some of his points may be viewed as insulting or patronising by police.

“He needs to be more engaged and is more than welcome to come and speak to us here.”

To see Col Tim Collins’ article on his Police and Crime Commissioner hopes turn to p24.