Age: 48

Address: Tadley

Political Party: UKIP

“Antisocial behaviour, antisocial behaviour, antisocial behaviour.”
When it comes to top priorities, Police and Crime Commissioner candidate Stephen West is very clear on what comes first.

He says he will take tough action against those who are “threatening people in their own neighbourhoods” and has promised a crackdown on the problem.

He added: “I will ensure that those caught intimidating others will be arrested and disposed with appropriately at the station with either a verbal warning, a formal caution or a court appearance.”

Mr West says he also wants to commission services to help drug users battle their addiction, provide youth offending services that will divert youngsters from the pathway to crime and rehabilitate offenders on release from prison.

He says he stands out from the other candidates because he is the only one to have ever worn a police uniform.

He has spent 12 years working as a Special Constabulary Officer, five of which were at a senior level.

He added: “I also come from a business background and I am used to strategic planning, budgets and spreadsheets. 

“All of that will be useful when planning the £300m budget of a police force in times of austerity and cuts.”

He thinks the biggest challenges he would face if elected would be making ever penny count at a time of reduced funding, ensuring Hampshire gets a fair share of Government funding and winning the confidence and trust of the public and police officers and staff.

One of the first jobs for whoever is elected will be to appoint a new chief constable, after serving Chief Constable Alex Marshall announced his resignation.

Mr West said: “I would like to clone Alex Marshall – he has been an excellent chief constable and I wish him well for the future. 

“Any new chief constable will need to show that he or she is willing to embrace change.”
He said that he would have no objection to being security vetted if elected and added that he has already been security cleared.