New elected Hertfordshire police commissioner to decide controversial G4S deal (From Watford Observer)

New elected Hertfordshire police commissioner to decide controversial G4S deal

6:00pm Wednesday 22nd August 2012 in News By Mike Wright, Chief Reporter

New elected Hertfordshire police commissioner to decide controversial G4S deal

Contentious plans to hand large swathes of Hertfordshire’s police operations to the under-fire security company G4S will now be decided by the county’s new elected commissioner.

Hertfordshire Constabulary announced that due to delays caused by Olympic security fiasco the final decision on the tender will be made after the November 15 elections.

Three contenders from the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour are all vying to take the new £75,000- a-year Hertfordshire police commissioner role.

The move means the G4S bid could become a heated political issue in the run-up to the ballot.

G4S had been the lead contender to take control of police operations such as HR, training, administration, procurement and logistics for Hertfordshire, Cambridge and Bedfordshire.

The forces are looking to outsource the services to save money.

However the bid has been thrown into doubt by the Olympics debacle, which saw Hertfordshire police officers among others drafted into the games to sure-up security.