Allegations and cases of electoral fraud will not only have a negative impact on the confidence of electors and campaigners, but they may also have a significant impact on your capacity to manage the election process effectively.
It is important that once you have put in place your plans for monitoring and maintaining the integrity of the election in your area you offer clear advice to candidates, agents and electors on how to make allegations to ensure an effective and consistent approach is taken to managing them.
You should ensure that all candidates and agents understand:
how to raise specific concerns about electoral fraud relating to the election
what type and level of evidence will be necessary to enable allegations to be investigated by the police
how allegations will be dealt with
what information and feedback they should be able to expect about the progress of any investigations
The police will investigate any allegations of fraud until, following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) , they are either satisfied that no further action is necessary or appropriate, or they forward the case file to the CPSfor prosecution. The police should keep you and, where appropriate, the ERO informed of the progress of the case.
The Commission and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (formerly the Association of Chief Police Officers) have supported the College of Policing to produce a manual of guidance for policing elections.
You should also be aware that because of the unique nature of the PCC elections there may be instances when the police force decides that it would be appropriate to ask another force to investigate allegations of electoral fraud or malpractice relating to these elections. In such an instance you should ensure that you make contact with the relevant lead officer from the force leading the investigation as quickly as possible.