Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Jason Ablewhite resigns
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Jason Ablewhite has resigned.
Mr Ablewhite, who was elected into the role in 2016, quit the role today (Monday, November 11).
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner released the following statement: “A referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
“Jason Ablewhite has today (Monday 11th November) tendered his resignation as Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
“It would be inappropriate for us to make any further comment.”
An IOPC spokesperson added: “The IOPC has started an independent investigation following a referral about a public complaint into the conduct of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire.
“The investigation is in its early stages and it is too soon to speculate on the outcome.”
The Police and Crime Panel will now start the process to appoint an acting police and crime commissioner, who will serve until the scheduled election on May 7, 2020.
Following the news, Daniel Zeichner, who is seeking to retain his Cambridge City seat for Labour at the General Election, responded: “I am both shocked and surprised by the news. Clearly we do not know the nature of the issue but it sounds serious if he felt the need to resign so quickly.
“With violent crime on the rise and more and more people contacting me about their safety concerns, we urgently need answers. His unelected successor must be held fully accountable and my first question to him will be if he will pledge to keep a fully operational police presence in the city centre, rather than lose Parkside Police Station.”