The Conservative candidate to oversee policing in Bedfordshire has welcomed a shake-up of community sentencing by the government.
Jas Parmar is the Tory nominee for the role of Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner which will be elected next month to oversee policing across the county.
He welcomed the Community Remedy scheme, which he said would offer victims of anti-social behaviour and low-level crime the right to choose a Community Payback punishment for the perpetrator of their crime. Police and Crime Commissioners will provide a menu of punishment options so that the victim of crime can choose an appropriate punishment.
Mr Parmar said: “It’s time to put victims first. Anti-social behaviour can blight communities and cause misery, but often the perpetrators seem to get off scot-free and the victim feels let down.
“The new Conservative Community Remedy means that the victims of anti-social behaviour will be able to choose the punishment for the offender of their crime.
“Community sentences cannot be a soft touch – they need to be a tough punishment. If I am elected in November I will make sure they are and always put victims first.”