Have your say on future of policing
LEICESTERSHIRE’S Police and Crime Commissioner has called for the county’s residents to help steer the future of local policing by sharing their views.
Lord Willy Bach has launched a countywide consultation exercise ahead of drafting his first Police and Crime Plan since being elected in May, inviting people living and working in Leicestershire to have their say on the ways in which the county is policed.
He said: “Everybody has their personal opinions on policing or public safety but I’m asking local people to tell me what these views are so we can address the issues that are important to them.
“The Police and Crime Plan is owned by everybody - essentially it’s a strategy for keeping people safe and supported, but I’m very conscious that to work effectively it has to reflect the very needs of the people it serves.
“Sitting on the fence isn’t an option; if you want to have a real impact on community safety and improve policing services for the benefit of all then now is the time to act and have your say.”
The PCC has launched a survey which will be conducted over the telephone, as well as being available to the public online.
It asks residents of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland which aspects of local policing they believe Leicestershire Police should prioritise, with options such as reducing offending and re-offending to enabling people to more easily report crime or continuing police visibility in communities.
The survey also asks residents to choose the three most important methods of police visibility to them and whether they would consider volunteering for the force in some capacity.
It goes on to ask how people prefer to report crimes, how victims can be best kept informed of updates to their cases, and whether residents would be willing to pay an additional seven pence per week in council tax to con- tribute service.
Lord Bach said: “I want to hear the views of as many people as possible so that I can work with the force and our partners to set the right objectives for people in every corner of the community.
“The years of financial austerity have had an impact on our capacity and capabilities, as they have every force, and it is more important than ever to ensure those critical areas of community safety - the ones that matter most to local people - are protected in the longterm.”
The survey will be available online for people to complete until midnight on September 30.
The Police and Crime Plan will be published in March 2017, following approval by the Police and Crime Panel, and will detail the PCC’s goals for his four-year term, as well as the objectives and performance targets he hopes to deliver.
The PCC’s survey can completed at www.sur v e y monke y . c o . u k / r / B78HPFL to their policing