Herts Lib Dems pick former PCSO as candidate for police and crime commissioner
Hertfordshire Liberal Democrats have picked Cllr Sean Prendergast as their candidate to be the county’s next police and crime commissioner (PCC).
He is an experienced investigator for the Housing Ombudsman Service and a member of North Herts Council where he is the portfolio holder for housing and environmental health.
Early in his career, Cllr Prendergast was a Police Community Support Officer which gave him an understanding of operational policing.
He now serves as a charity trustee for survivors of domestic abuse and takes a leading role in developing ideas and strategies to support vulnerable victims.
Through his housing experience, Cllr Prendergast has extensive experience working with partners to ensure that policing priorities are met.
If elected as Hertfordshire’s PPC, he said he would work to strengthen community cohesion by supporting active police engagement in hard-to-reach areas.
He would also develop and grow neighbourhood policing with an emphasis on finding long-term solutions to ongoing crime and anti-social behaviour and would foster strong multi-agency partnerships to develop a coordinated approach to protect victims and prevent crime.
Cllr Prendergast said: “We need greater emphasis on positive neighbourhood policing in order to deal with the issues that impact communities the most, such as anti-social behaviour and serious inquisitive crime like burglary and vehicle crime.
“I have first-hand experience of how important effective and visible neighbourhood policing is in preventing crime.
“We also need a more active and visible PCC for Hertfordshire - a PCC who is involved in the community and who understands and engages with the concerns and needs of residents. If elected, I will work tirelessly to achieve the best possible outcomes for us all.”
His Labour opponent will be fellow North Herts Council member, Cllr Tom Plater.
Conservative David Lloyd, who has been PPC since the role was introduced in 2012, has announced he will not stand again on May 2. The party’s new candidate has not yet been announced.
