In 2012, Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) were directly elected by the public across England and Wales for the first time, representing a radical change to the way in which police forces are held to account. This paper explores the process of the PCC elections and addresses two of the most critical issues of the elections; the eligibility of candidates and voter turnout. The paper concludes with a series of recommendations based on the implications of the findings.

Author: Matthew Davies