About your Commissioner

Commissioner’s role & responsibilities

Lisa Townsend is your Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey.

Commissioners were introduced in 2012 across England and Wales. Lisa was elected in 2021 to represent your views on police and crime in our county and is currently serving her second term as the PCC for Surrey.

As your Commissioner, Lisa is responsible for the strategic oversight of Surrey Police, holding the Chief Constable to account on your behalf and commissioning key services that strengthen community safety and support victims.

One of the key tasks of your Commissioner is to set the Police and Crime Plan that outlines the priorities for Surrey Police.

Lisa is also responsible for overseeing key decisions including setting the budget for Surrey Police and managing the Surrey Police estate.

She is supported in her role by Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson. Ellie is responsible for leading the Commissioner’s focus on the safety of children and young people in Surrey and on rural crime.

Learn more about Lisa’s background here.



Commissioner's roles and responsibilities
Commissioner's roles and responsibilities

The Commissioner attends regular meetings including public performance and accountability meetings that discuss the latest performance of Surrey Police and progress against the Police and Crime Plan.

Lisa also holds monthly online surgery appointments for residents to discuss local matters directly.

Use the links below to learn more about meetings or requesting a resident’s surgery appointment:

The five priorities in the Police and Crime Plan for Surrey (2021-25) are:
  • Preventing violence against women and girls
  • Protecting people from harm in Surrey
  • Working with communities so that they feel safe
  • Strengthening relationships between Surrey Police and Surrey residents
  • Ensuring safer Surrey roads
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Code of Conduct

View the Commissioner’s Oath of Office.

The Commissioner has signed up to a Code of Conduct, and the Committee on Standards in Public Life ‘Ethical Checklist’.

Salary and Expenses

The salaries of Police and Crime Commissioners are decided on a national basis and vary depending on the size of the force area they represent. The Commissioner in Surrey receives a salary of £73,300 pa.

You can see the Commissioner’s disclosable interests and expenses for 2024/25 here.

Read the Commissioner’s Allowance Scheme to learn more about the Commissioner’s expenses that may be claimed from our budget, or see the Gifts and Hospitality Register for other items that the Commissioner, Interim Deputy Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer are required to declare.

You can also view the expenses and disclosable interests of the Interim Deputy Commissioner. The Interim Deputy Commissioner has also signed the Code of Conduct and receives a salary of £54, 975 pa.