THERE should be little surprise that there is apparently complete apathy to upcoming elections for police commissioners.

Various senior officers – including Thames Valley Police’s own Chief Constable, Sara Thornton – are now voicing fears there will be a pitiful turn-out when the public is given its chance to elect the political head of forces in November.

It is potentially an important role but it was always going to be a hard sell to generate any interest, given the police authorities that commissioners will replace have such a low profile as to be almost subterranean.

But the other hole below the waterline for the scheme is that political parties are involved.

Look at the mire this Government has got itself involved in and the lingering antipathy for its predecessor and you will realise that quite reasonably the average man or woman in the street will believe political dogma and the party machine will dictate decision-making.

When you have John Prescott touting himself as a police commissioner when it is arguable political considerations prevented him being rightly tried on allegations of assault then public scepticism is understandable.

There is a very real possibility that the turn-out to vote will make council elections seem a good representation of the people.

The Government must take heed of Ms Thornton’s words and either decide to properly launch a huge drive to impress on the public that this is a major change in how they are policed or gracefully scrap the whole scheme.