Commissioner reveals pledges despite tour backlash

A police and crime commissioner and former detective receiving backlash for a national tour has launched a public consultation on his three key priorities during his tenure.

Colin Sutton, Norfolk's newly elected police and crime commissioner (PCC), hopes to rebuild trust in policing, prevent violence, abuse and exploitation and have safer rural communities.

The consultation will run until October, and - if approved by the Police and Crime Panel - it will be implemented from November.

However, people in Loddon have been left divided on whether Sutton is able to fulfil the role when he begins the 127-date theatre tour in January.

Sutton became one of the UK's most high-profile detectives in the 2000s, leading the investigation to catch serial killer Levi Bellfield, who murdered Milly Dowler, Marsha McDonnell and Amelie Delagrange.

He is due to present his true-crime show, Makings of a Murderer, in theatres across the UK, discussing police investigations.

One stretch will see him visit Consett in County Durham, Tamworth in Staffordshire, Hunstanton in Norfolk, Llandudno in north Wales and Leeds across five consecutive nights.

Sutton was elected Norfolk's PCC in July, winning the election to replace Sarah Taylor with 32,647 votes.

PCCs are elected officials who set the priorities of a police force, appoint a chief constable and hold them to account.

On Monday, Sutton launched his police and crime plan consultation, asking residents for feedback on three key priorities including rebuilding trust in policing, preventing violence, abuse and exploitation and having safer rural communities.

However, some Norfolk residents, including Margaret Whittaker from Loddon, were concerned with him spending time away from the county.

The 76-year-old said: "We voted for him so we would like to see him doing his job, not traipsing round the country giving talks to people and charging a fee for what he's doing.

"We put our faith in him for what he said he was going to do for Norfolk, so he should get on with it."

Responding to Chris Goreham on BBC Radio Norfolk, Sutton said: "I think we need to be realistic, I am not under house arrest in the county of Norfolk because I have to be the PCC.

"I'm still entitled to go away sometimes... I don't have to be in Norfolk to fulfil the role."

A spokesman for Reform UK told the BBC it was supportive of Sutton and that half the shows were taking place on Friday nights and at weekends.

He said: "He is a celebrity detective so of course he's going to have to do things like this but he will still be doing his job as a PCC as normal."

Kirsty Sims, 49, who is currently in Loddon visiting her parents, said she did not have an issue with Sutton's tour and time out of the county.

She said: "If he can do it outside of his job then I have no problem with it but if it impacts on the time he spends making better then I have a problem."

In agreement, Katherine Walter said while his priority should be Norfolk, the role could be done anywhere.

She said: "If he's going to just go off and completely shut off and not be connected then I think perhaps he shouldn't be doing that.

"You can still be connected on Zoom. Personally I don't mind if he stayed connected to what was happening here and if there was something here to deal with in-person then you would hope he would come back."

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