Colin Sutton has become the first Reform UK police and crime commissioner after winning the Norfolk PCC election with a clear majority.
Colin Sutton has been elected in the Norfolk PCC election, becoming the first Reform UK candidate to win a police and crime commissioner post. The former detective was confirmed as the new Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk on Friday after 32,647 people backed him.
Sutton won by 14,299 votes, with Conservative candidate Matthew Taylor finishing second. Voter turnout was 17%, one of the lowest figures recorded for the post since it was created in 2012. In some polling station areas, turnout was below 6%.
The vote was held after Sarah Taylor resigned from the role. She had been elected as a Labour commissioner, later quit the party, and became an independent in protest at the plan to scrap the office. Reform UK already has one PCC through Rupert Matthews, who was elected as a Tory candidate before later changing parties.
After his victory was announced, Sutton said he would repay the trust placed in him by people in Norfolk and get to work on Monday. He also said he was overjoyed, calling policing his life and saying he believed he could make a difference and improve things.
Sutton is known for leading the investigation into Levi Bellfield, who was convicted of the murders of Milly Dowler, Marsha McDonnell and Amélie Delagrange. After retiring in 2011, he moved to Norfolk and later spoke publicly about wanting more attention on rural crime, arguing that priorities had been too focused on cities and towns. The result may also be the last PCC election held, unless another commissioner leaves office early, because the role is set to be abolished as powers are devolved to Norfolk and Suffolk and a new mayoralty is created for the two counties. The takeaway: Norfolk voters have chosen a well-known former detective just as the police commissioner system is heading toward the exit.
