Good evening fellow Liberal Democrats, I am David Goodall and I am your Police and Crime Commissioner Candidate for Hampshire and Isle of Wight.
Many of you know that and know my personal background. However I am aware not all are when after a Community Safety Forum a fellow Eastleigh Councillor said I must be careful when talking to the Police and with confidential information.
So for the record I am a policeman’s son, a policeman’s brother and I have worked in the national security and defence sector for over 30 years.
I know about confidential information and I know about a policeman’s lot.
I know about the problems of a lone bobby on the beat faced with a gang kicking the hell out of a bloke on the ground.
I know about the issue of a single unarmed officer approaching a man fitting the description an armed robber.
I know not because I read a lot of noteworthy reports but because my Dad was the officer facing the gang and my brother was the officer facing the armed robber.
I know about these issues and problems because I have heard about them all my life.
I am involved in this aspect of public life because I want to make a difference.
Public life in this country needs people who care about making a difference for others and not for themselves.
In Hampshire I am facing a independent candidate who is a former Tory councillor, a Labour candidate who was until the last annual meeting chair of the Police Authority that brought a building for £9 million and then took 4 years to decide what to do with it, and finally there is the official conservative candidate called Michael Mates, whoever he is.
My priorities as the commissioner would be:-
Talking tough is not enough.
Saying I will be tough on crime and tough on the cause of crime is not enough.
I am an engineer at heart I want practical solutions.
I want solutions that work.
So if elected my priority will effective action not ineffective soundbites.
Thank you for listening and have a good evening.