The elected roles are open to anyone and the Conservatives claim they will allow the public to hold police in their area ‘accountable’ by even allowing them to hire and fire Chief Constables.
But the plans have already prompted fierce debate in Cheshire, with the chairman of the county’s police federation Simon Roberts claiming in January that celebrities such as Warrington’s Kerry Katona could take the posts.
He claimed commissioners could pursue policies which are popular with residents, such as more bobbies on the beat, but would not understand the impact of what goes on behind the scenes such as the importance of gathering intelligence on high level criminal targets.
But Mr Evans – a former special constable – claims the posts herald a ‘new era for policing.
He said: “Police and crime commissioners are at the heart of the Government’s programme to reform the police to help them fight crime. PCCs will have real power to ensure the police are really accountable to the local people they serve.
“With nine months still to go till these elections, we have already had hundreds of expressions of interest from a diverse range of candidates.
“As more and more candidates register, I look forward to an exciting election this November and working with the new PCC for Cheshire in the future.”