A police and crime commissioner is facing claims that he is treating the role like a “part-time” position after it emerged he is also booked for an unrelated 127-date speaking tour across the UK.
Colin Sutton, who was elected to the £79,000-a-year Norfolk police and crime commissioner post for Reform UK in July, won the seat in a by-election held after Labour’s Sarah Taylor resigned.
Sutton is a former Metropolitan Police detective chief inspector with a high-profile record, having played a role in more than 30 major successful investigations, including the cases that brought serial killer Levi Bellfield and “Nightstalker” rapist Delroy Grant to justice.
He is due to reflect on his policing career in the theatre production “The Makings of a Murderer – Double Jeopardy,” a live tour scheduled to run throughout 2027.
Several performances fall in the middle of the working week, including Thursday appearances in Bournemouth, Dorset, on January 7; Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, on January 28; Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, on February 11; Newport on the Isle of Wight on March 18; and Swansea on May 6.
The itinerary also lists Portsmouth on Wednesday, May 19, Dundee on Monday, September 27, and Bath on Tuesday, October 12, while Newcastle-upon-Tyne on October 10 is among the Sunday dates.
Colin Sutton was elected police and crime commissioner for Norfolk in July
The nationwide schedule stretches to a wide range of other locations, from Monmouth in south Wales and Richmond in south-west London to Belfast in Northern Ireland and Douglas on the Isle of Man.
The scale of the tour has prompted sharp criticism, with opponents asking how Sutton can give sufficient attention to his elected duties, which include holding Norfolk Constabulary to account, representing local community concerns and overseeing the force’s budget.
Shadow policing and crime minister Matt Vickers told the Mail: “It beggars belief that someone whose full-time job is to look after policing and crime in Norfolk is about to tour the country for 127 nights, completely neglecting the job for which he is paid tens of thousands of pounds a year.
“The Norfolk PCC by-election cost taxpayers millions of pounds and they will rightly see this cash-generating jaunt for Colin Sutton as a slap in the face.
“At a time when policing faces huge challenges Colin Sutton should be focused on the job he was elected to do.”
Fellow Conservative MP Jerome Mayhew, who represents Broadland and Fakenham, said Mr Sutton was ‘focusing on his side-hustle’ rather than his job.
The 127-date speaking tour takes in all four nations of the United Kingdom and runs from January to November next year
He added: ‘The PCC role is a full-time role and is paid for by the public as a full-time role.
‘We have many policing challenges in Norfolk that need the undivided focus of the PCC and questions have to be asked if this one has that focus at the forefront of his mind.’
Steff Aquarone, the Lib Dem MP for North Norfolk, said: ‘Less than three months after being elected, it seems our Reform Police and Crime Commissioner has got bored of doing his job and is swanning off on tour. It’s totally unacceptable.
‘People in Norfolk don’t want a part-time PCC, they want someone who is going to tackle rural crime and bring back community policing.
‘It’s classic Reform – more interested in feathering their own nests than actually delivering for the people they are elected to serve.
‘Mr Sutton should be giving back his PCC salary while he is away on this tour.’
Mr Sutton is former detective chief inspector for the Metropolitan Police who was involved in successful investigations including catching serial killer Levi Bellfield and ‘Nightstalker’ rapist Delroy Grant
Kay Mason Billig, the leader of the Conservative group at Norfolk County Council, said: ‘Norfolk elected a Police and Crime Commissioner, we didn’t expect to get a touring theatre performer instead.
‘Local taxpayers are entitled to ask who exactly will be doing the day job while Colin Sutton is treading the boards.
‘Holding Norfolk’s Chief Constable to account isn’t something that should be squeezed in between matinees.’
Reform UK actively contests and uses the role of PCCs to push for zero-tolerance policing and more visible frontline officers.
It’s only other PCC is Rupert Matthews, in Leicestershire, who was elected as a Tory candidate but defected in August 2025.
Ms Taylor, who was elected in 2024, quit the Labour Party in November last year in protest against plans to scrap PCCs in 2028. She later stepped down from the job, citing family issues.
Norfolk Tory MP accused the PCC of ‘focusing on his side-hustle’ rather than his job
Mr Sutton, who retired from the Met in 2011 and now lives in Diss, won 26.6 per cent of the 122,739 votes cast in the PCC election on July 16, representing a 17.1 per cent turnout. Conservative candidate Matthew Taylor came second, with 18,343 votes.
Speaking moments after his victory was announced, Mr Sutton vowed to ‘repay the trust the people of Norfolk have put in me’ and said he would ‘get to work on Monday’.
He added: ‘I’m overjoyed. Policing has been my life and it is the best job. I believe I can make a difference and make things better.’
A spokeswoman from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, said: ‘The Commissioner has confirmed that these activities are being undertaken in a private capacity and that the dates have been discussed with the Office.
‘We have also been assured that the events will take place during his own time and will not impact upon his ability to discharge his duties as Police and Crime Commissioner.
‘The Commissioner has further confirmed that he will remain available and contactable should any operational or other PCC-related business require his attention.
‘Based on these assurances, we are satisfied that appropriate arrangements are in place and that there is no adverse impact on the performance of the Commissioner’s official responsibilities.’
Reform UK referred queries to the Office of the PCC.
