Speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham Ms May said first ever elections of police commissioners on November 15 was "a tranformative change".
She said "the commissioner will lead the fight against crime in their communities" and would give a voice to the public.
Ms May also announced an important new duty on Police and Crime Commissioners to make sure that victims have a greater say in the punishment of people responsible for anti-social behaviour.
"We will change the law so when a criminal receives an out-of-court community punishment, the victim will be given the power to choose the form it takes. They'll be given a list of options.
"They might want something restorative or punitive. They might want it to be carried out nearby or as far away as possible. But what matters is that the punishment will be chosen by the victim."
