Sussex Police Commissioner Katy Bourne takes up post

The new Sussex police and crime commissioner (PCC) Katy

Bourne has been sworn in to her role after winning the election that took place

last Friday in a ceremony close to Sussex Police HQ in Lewes.

Conservative candidate Katy Bourne was elected as Sussex's

first PCC beating the Labour candidate Godfrey Daniel into second place. In the

election, Ms Bourne received 59,635 first preference votes, 31 per cent of the

total, compared to 40,765 for Mr Daniel.

She got 20,393 second preference votes, compared to Mr

Daniel's 14,837 giving her a total of 80,028 against a total of 55,602 for her

main rival.

However, the turnout for the election was just 15.82 per

cent.

The role gives Ms Bourne the power to hold chief constables

to account and hire and fire them. She will also be in charge of setting police

priorities and budgets.

At the conclusion of her swearing-in ceremony, Ms Bourne

said: "I am absolutely delighted and extremely honoured to be elected to this

position and I look forward to serving the people of Sussex to the best of my

ability."

Ms Bourne said that tacking anti-social behaviour is her

main priority and that there will be an increase in the number of special

constables. She wants one to be in every village in Sussex.

Ms Bourne said: "It's another way of using resources

more effectively, but also it's a way of increasing frontline policing and

bringing more diversity into the community."

Her other main aims from her manifesto are to catch more

criminals and reduce crime, to put the victim back at the heart of the criminal

justice system and to deliver value for money from the police force.

Ms Bourne said: "The politics of the campaign are

behind us now, and it's important to get on with the job."

Following the ceremony Ms Bourne began her £85,000 a year

role by meeting chief constable Martin Richards.