Gloucestershire PCC: Chris Nelson wants more bobbies on the beat

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Chris Nelson beat incumbent Martin Surl to the role

The newly elected police and crime commissioner for Gloucestershire said he will start his job by putting more funding into "bobbies on the beat".

Conservative Chris Nelson won the vote beating Liberal Democrat Chris Coleman and his incumbent Independent Martin Surl, who held the post since 2012.

Mr Nelson said: "I'm firmly convinced there are areas we're spending money on that we shouldn't be spending on."

Spending on police buildings and equipment will also be reviewed.

Mr Nelson said he was "very humbled and quite surprised" to have been elected. 

Setting out his key priorities, he said he wants to to tackle anti-social behaviour and secure more resources for police to be able to do their job in the county. 

'Zero tolerance'

"By resources, I mean more bobbies on the beat, more special constables, more resources for the control room," he said. 

"This result is a clear message from the people of Gloucestershire that they want a zero tolerance approach to all anti-social behaviour."

Other areas he said he wanted action on was a quicker response time from police and tackling scam phone calls.

Mr Nelson said he would be working closely with Chief Constable Rod Hansen to create and a new police and crime plan over the next few months.

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