Devon and Cornwall PCC election 2021: Who will be standing?

BBC Police officers on a street in ManchesterBBC
Commissioners work to ensure police forces are running effectively

Voters will head to the polls to elect a Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Devon and Cornwall on 6 May.

PCCs work to ensure police forces in England and Wales are running effectively.

Their responsibilities include setting out force budgets, holding chief constables to account and providing a link between communities and police.

PCCs are usually elected every four years, but elections were postponed in May 2020 due to coronavirus.

These are the candidates who are standing for Devon and Cornwall PCC this year (listed alphabetically):

Brian Blake, Liberal Democrat

SGHaywood Photography Brian BlakeSGHaywood Photography
Brian Blake worked at the Ministry of Defence for 13 years

Brian Blake served with Devon and Cornwall Police for more than 30 years before moving on to work at the Ministry of Defence for 13 years.

Gareth Derrick, Labour

Gareth Derrick Gareth DerrickGareth Derrick
Gareth Derrick sits on the Police and Crime Panel

Gareth Derrick served in the Royal Navy for 36 years and was elected as a city councillor for Plymouth in 2018. He sits on the Police and Crime Panel.

Alison Hernandez, Conservative

Alison Hernandez Alison Hernandez is the conservative party candidate for PCCAlison Hernandez
Alison Hernandez was elected as the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner in 2016

Alison Hernandez is the incumbent PCC and was first elected in 2016. Prior to her current job, she worked in public service and management consultancy.

Stuart Jackson, Green Party

Stuart Jackson  Stuart JacksonStuart Jackson
Stuart Jackson has worked as a training officer with Devon and Cornwall Police

Stuart Jackson has lived in Exeter since 2005 and worked as a training officer with Devon and Cornwall Police until 2018. Prior to that job he worked in a senior role at Somerset County Council helping schools to integrate children arriving from around the world.

presentational grey line

Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].