"I am not sure that I want a retired copper who may have an axe to grind or have pre-conceived ideas".

Personally I wouldn't think that there was much chance of that happening, because of the original 'heavy' financial burden of becoming a candidate. Especially if they attempted to 'go it alone'.

In the comments I made earlier, two individual's applied as 'Independents', because they wanted to keep the political party's 'out of it', but they found that their efforts have been reduced quite a lot, because it was all very new territory for them.

The remaining Independent candidate is very well known in the Asian and ethnic communities, and it would be very interesting to see if that increases any votes in their favour. If that person wins on commitment to serving all the public, which I see no reason why not, then I would be all for him. But I also wonder how long it will take, in doing the job he as indicated he wants to do, before obstructions or objections perhaps becomes evident?.

Of the other two 'political' candidates, one is an 'Assistant Deputy Mayor', with what I would regard as having little or no experience of running a police force, or anything else of this size without guidance. Yet the political party as made the decision to select this person, as the best candidate?.

The other political candidate appears to have great credentials, being an ex Air Chief Marshall and Commander-in-Chief in the RAF. When his name first appeared, it was clearly stated that he was not going to be governed by the political party, but more by the public. Interesting really, because since that original statement, things have gone very quiet on that intentions?.