News / Bristol
Lilia, eight, grills police and crime commissioner
Accustomed to holding officers to account, the tables turned on Avon and Somerset’s police and crime commissioner (PCC) when she was grilled by an eight-year-old inquisitor.
Lilia, from Trinity Primary School in Portishead, covered a number of topics from sexting to cyber safety when she put Sue Mountstevens in the hot seat to gain a unique perspective on the force.
See a snippet of Lilia’s interview here:
is needed now More than ever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk-DQoC-cL8
The eight-year-old asked the commissioner what her role involves (largely listening and balancing the books), how she knows she is making a difference (more listening to people) and whether or not it is easier to catch criminals now.
Lilia also shared her concerns for officer safety following the ongoing attacks across the country, which the police are having to respond to.
Police and crime commissioner Sue Mountstevens says policing needs to be open and transparent to all
Mountstevens was reelected in May 2016 after running on a platform of keeping politics out of policing.
Following the interview, she said: “I was surprised by Lilia’s enthusiasm to find out more about my role and felt her questions were both thought-provoking and challenging.
“As a young person, I was deeply encouraged by Lilia’s interest in the PCC role and also heartened by her passion for finding out about the ongoing challenges the police face.
“As your elected PCC, I am here to represent your voice in policing, so it’s only right I make myself accountable to the local people I serve, Lilia included.
“It’s important I continue to make myself open and accessible to local people across Avon and Somerset and I am willing to try different ways of doing this.”
She added: “It is clear Lilia has a wise head on her young shoulders and I hope her interest with policing and public affairs continues. Who knows maybe she’ll even consider becoming a police and crime commissioner in the future.”
Lilia said: “I was both nervous and excited about interviewing the PCC. I wanted to know why Sue wanted to become the PCC, whether it made her happy or sad and wanted to understand if what she’s doing is making a difference.”
Read more: PCC ‘will protect police from politics’
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