ACPO lead on futures, Chief Constable Alex Marshall:

"The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections which take place on 15 November 2012 are unique. They are the first elections in which policing and community safety will be the sole focus, and they mark a major shift in the way policing is held to account, replacing police authorities of 17 or more members with a single, directly elected individual, either a party political candidate or an independent.

"It will be for individual forces to judge the way they interact with PCC candidates but it is vital that they avoid bringing the impartiality of the force or its staff into question. These guidelines provide general principles, for local interpretation when forces are communicating with PCC candidates."

Guidelines for interaction with Police and Crime Commissioner candidates-http://www.acpo.police.uk/documents/futures/2012/201207FBAGfIwPCCs.pdf