Festus Akinbusoye

Festus Akinbusoye is a British Conservative politician who was elected as Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner at the 2021 election.[1] Akinbusoye is the first black Briton to be elected to this role. He is also the only PCC from a Black, Asian and Minority ethnic background following the 2021 election.[2] He was appointed as Board member of the influential College of Policing in March 2023[3].

Festus Akinbusoye
Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner
Assumed office
13 May 2021
Preceded byKathryn Holloway
Personal details
BornNigeria
Political partyConservative
EducationInternational Studies and Diplomacy
Alma materSchool of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)
ProfessionPolice and Crime Commissioner (PCC)

Early life

Akinbusoye emigrated to the UK from Nigeria as a thirteen-year-old with his parents and twin sister where they settled in Canning Town, East London.[4]

He studied at St Paul's Way School, Bow before studying A Levels at City of Westminster College. He graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Business Communications from London College of Printing and Distributive Trades and read for a Masters Degree in International Studies and Diplomacy at the School of Oriental and African Studies.[5]

Akinbusoye's experiences with Stop and Search as a young man growing up in London and time mentoring young offenders in prison shaped some of his approach towards policing.[6]

Political career

Akinbusoye has worked as Senior Parliamentary Assistant to Mark Lancaster, Iain Stewart and Ben Everitt.[5]

He stood as a Conservative candidate in the West Ham constituency in the 2015 United Kingdom general election coming second to Lyn Brown.[7]

Akinbusoye served as Chairman of Milton Keynes Conservatives from 2018 to 2021.[5]

During an interview with Beth Rigby on Sky News, Akinbusoye defended the use of police Stop and Search powers, having used it himself when serving as a Special Constable in Bedfordshire Police, his links to the Conservative Party despite controversial comments made by former British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and his views on "the public quite rightly expect there to be no bad apples" in British policing with reference to the David Carrick case.

References
  1. Roffe, Erica (7 May 2021). "Festus Akinbusoye confirmed as Bedfordshire's new Police and Crime Commissioner". Bedford Independent. Progress Publishing. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  2. Rix, Bernard (11 May 2021). "PCC Election 2021: Results and Analysis". Policing Insight. CoPaCC. Retrieved 12 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)(registration required)
  3. "Police and crime commissioners join our board". College of Policing. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  4. "Festus Akinbusoye". Battle of Ideas Festival. Academy of Ideas. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  5. Gadher, Dipesh (16 May 2021). "First black Police and Crime Commissioner: I've been stopped and searched but I back it". Sunday Times. Retrieved 16 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. "Election result for West Ham (Constituency) - MPs and Lords". UK Parliament.
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