I am in total agreement with those who deem such positions, and their staff and little empires, a total waste of time and money. That's what the public thought too, hence the abysmally low election turnout and the all but non-existent public profile most of these elected individuals have.
I live in Hertfordshire. I have been along to several of the PCC public meetings that he has held. He says grand things, but words are cheap, and some of his "ideas" have been risible in my view - corporate sponsorship and logos on police vehicles being one such.As for accountability - this guy, who has been elected, was previously the chair of the committee that the police reported to, and was in turn accountable for expenses etc. Not so much now; An MP committee has already called for greater oversight of their expenses and how they spend their budget, with some having luxury limousines and all sorts.
http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/Hertfordshire/PCC-David-Lloyd-hits-back-at-MPs-report-20130606160902.htm
I have yet to see how they were necessary, or how the cause of democracy has been advanced, or indeed how money and bureaucracy been saved. What I have seen is often inexperienced individuals exercising "great ideas" that do not pan out,obsessed and totally absorbed in initiatives and soundbite policies purely to raise their own profile and justify their own existence, along with the casual abuse of the expenses system.