Wales' first black PCC elected as Labour's Emma Wools wins South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner election

Welsh Labour candidate Emma Wools has been announced as the new Police and Crime Commissioner for the South Wales Police making her the first female police commissioner for the force area. She won 73,128 of votes – almost double the amount that was won by the candidate that came in second place in the election.

Welsh Conservative candidate George Carroll, who is also a senior adviser to Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies, received 43,344 votes. Plaid Cymru’s candidate, Dennis Clarke, garnered 27,410 votes, while Liberal Democrat candidate Sam Bennett won 17,908 votes.

Voting took place on Thursday, May 2, and turnout came at 16.58%, much lower than in the previous two police and crime commissioners elections in 2016 and 2021 which took taking place the same time as the Senedd elections where there was a turnout of around 45.6% and 46.6% across Wales. In the first police and crime commissioners election in 2012, when no other poll took place, the turnout was just 14.9% for the whole of Wales.

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The first to call was Gwent where Labour candidate Jane Mudd won with 41.67% of the vote, a nine percentage point lead over the Tory candidate. It was then announced that Plaid's Dafydd Llywelyn had retained his role as commissioner for Dyfed-Powys Police. He has held the role since 2016.

Shortly after that announcement the results for the South Wales Police region were declared. Labour's Emma Wools, who has been the deputy commissioner for a number of years, will be taking over from Alun Michael. Labour's Andy Dunbobbin has also been re-elected in North Wales. For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter.

Speaking to WalesOnline after her win Ms Wools said that she felt “incredibly honoured” to be announced as the next Police and Crime Commissioner for the force area. “It’s still sinking in but I feel incredibly honoured and proud and privileged that the people of south Wales have put their trust in me to deliver for them across south Wales.”

Born and raised in Cardiff Ms Wools graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of South Wales. As a student she volunteered in the criminal justice system and then spent 23 years working to “serve and protect” communities.

She started in the probation service in 2001 where she worked in courts across south Wales. She then became the deputy police and crime commissioner for south Wales and was an assistant chief officer within the National Offender Management Service with responsibilities across prisons and probation.

When asked what were the main challenges the force area was facing she said: “I think the main challenge is going to be about making sure that we’ve got strong community policing in all of our communities. As part of this campaign I have gone out to all seven local authority areas and seen the diversity that exists and I think that policing needs to get better connected and better understand the different diverse communities so that they are more effective in being able to protect the public and prevent crime and harm.

“I’ve had 23 years of experience in the criminal justice system. I’ve worked all across south Wales, I’ve worked in homes, in communities, with young people, with adults, those that have been offenders and those that have been victims of crime.

“I think I’ve got a pretty grounded and comprehensive view of what some of the issues are that people are faced with on a day-to-day basis here in south Wales. Not only that but I have strong relationships with partners, so our criminal justice partners, our local authority partners, health, and a range of others in terms of community organisations who are all part of the solution, because this isn’t about me being able to solve these problems on my own and I think those experiences and relationships mean I will be in a better place to be able to deliver that.”

Ms Wools will be south Wales’ second-ever police and crime commissioner as former MP Alun Michael was first elected to the role in 2012 and was re-elected in 2016. It was announced that Mr Michael would not be the Labour candidate for 2024.

He was heavily criticised for acting as a spokesperson for the force after incidents like the riots in Ely in Cardiff and Mayhill in Swansea over which the force would later face criticism. Like her predecessor Ms Wools will be responsible for making sure that the local police force is meeting the needs of the community as well as cutting crime and delivering an effective and efficient service. Ms Wools will also be responsible for holding chief constables and the police force to account on their behalf. The South Wales PCC is paid £86,700 and serves a four-year term.

When asked why the role was important the new PCC said: “The public should have a voice in what their police service looks like. Policing in the UK operates as a contract between the public and policing and that contract can only be made if both communities and the police are talking to each other. So this role is there to bridge that – to be the voice of the community in policing so that the community is able to set the priorities that matter to them and have a strong role in being able to hold policing to account for its delivery.”