Alun Michael was elected as the first Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales in November 2012. Prior to this election, he had been the Labour and Co-operative Member of Parliament for Cardiff South and Penarth for 25 years from 1987, during which time he held posts including Deputy Home Secretary, the Secretary of State for Wales, Minister for Rural Affairs and Minister for Industry and the Regions.

In 1997, as Deputy Home Secretary, he steered the Crime and Disorder Act onto the Statute Book, leading to the establishment of local crime reduction partnerships, youth offending teams, the Youth Justice Board and Anti-Social Behaviour Orders. It has been widely praised by the police as the best piece of criminal justice legislation in a generation.

He has also been a senior member of the Home Affairs and Justice Select Committees, taking part in major inquiries into ‘justice reinvestment’, the changing landscape of policing, the city riots of 2011 and drugs policy nationally and internationally.

Before entering Parliament he was a professional Youth & Community Worker, a City Councillor, a member of the South Glamorgan Probation Committee and chaired the Cardiff Juvenile Bench.