UKIP candidate for police commissioner Nick Clarke told a public meeting in Wisbech that crime in the town “is too high. Is this good enough? No it isn’t”.

Mr Clarke, a former leader of the county council, said: “When people are asked if they feel safe they tell us they don’t.

“Ninety per cent of women asked said they feel unsafe going out at night in Wisbech and they say the lack of police presence is a contributory factor. This is not good enough.”

Mr Clark said that in January there were 380 reported crimes in Wisbech “of which 61 were classified as violent or sexual offences. People have a right to be scared. This is not good enough”.

“Of the 380 crimes 135 were classified as anti social behaviour. How many cases of anti social behaviour are not reported?

“I will press for a zero tolerance of criminal behaviour to drive those that seek to make our lives a misery from our streets. If you want to be antisocial, there will be consequences.”

He said: “Some said that they were scared to walk through the parks because of drug users. Why has the drug dealing problem in Wilberforce Road not been addressed? It is not good enough.

“In this country we police with the consent of the people and that means involving them. The Conservative PCC has a poor record of public engagement and appears to reject democratic accountability, both of which I see as essential for the role.

“We must listen to our communities. We are here today to listen to you.”

Mr Clarke was addressing a meeting at the Oasis Centre when he set out his objectives should he win next month’s election for Cambridgeshire police commissioner.

“I have had the nick name of ‘no nonsense Nick’ and been described as steel wrapped in velvet. I think both attributes are necessary when dealing with the police who expect and deserve clear and determined leadership as they serve us all in doing a difficult job.

“I am impatient of unnecessary bureaucracy and expect public services to run efficiently and in the interests of the people they serve. This is often not the case.”

He said expenditure on the current commissioner’s office was too high and he would, if elected, reduce costs and put the saved money into frontline policing.

Mr Clarke said in conversation with police he became aware of the links between theft and criminal activity and drugs.

“Illegal drug supply must be tackled with the full force of the law,” he said. “It is essential that drug supplies are disrupted.

“I would like to see a ‘door a day’ policy where 365 days a year drug dealers have their lives severely disrupted, in the same way as victims have had their lives disrupted.

“I want drug dealers to know they will have a very difficult life if they deal in our county.”

He also promised to “engage at the national level to lobby for more prisons, more rehabilitation and meaningful penalties.

“The £2bn cost of new prisons is small compared to the £34bn cost of crime.”