A COUNTY councillor for Teesdale has been announced as a candidate in next year’s Durham Police and Crime Commissioner election.
Cllr Robert Potts, who represents the Evenwood ward, will be representing the Conservative Party for the election which will take place on May 2 next year.
His campaign was launched on Thursday, November 9, at Hamsterley Village Hall, which was attended by Transport Minister Richard holden, Teesdale MP Dehenna Davison and Conservative Party deputy chairman and MP Jack Lopresti.
Cllr Potts said if elected he would ensure more police officers are on the streets, local police stations would be kept open and tackling anti-social behaviour would be a priority.
The former police sergeant and ex-soldier said: “I have attended a number of meetings with senior Durham Constabulary officers recently and it is mentioned, too frequently, that you can’t arrest your way out of crime.
“Although I agree we need to deal with some issues with a long-term approach, we also need to deal with reported crime immediately and we can only do so by having police officers on the streets of County Durham, attending and dealing with those crimes, that includes by arrest if necessary.
“I would also highlight the benefits of crime prevention, when people see police officers driving or, dare I say it, even walking around the streets of County Durham.
