Violence targeted in new police plan
Aplan to tackle crime across the Westcountry over the next four years – with a focus on reducing violence, antisocial behaviour, drug offences and road accidents – has been unveiled by the Devon and Cornwall police and Crime Commissioner.
Commissioner alison Hernandez said the police and Crime plan 20212025 underscores her commitment to continue ongoing work to create “safe, resilient and connected communities”. In the document she said: “Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is already one of the safest areas of the country, but violence remains one of the biggest challenges we face. My aim is to make it even safer, underpinned by the Chief Constable’s vision for a world-class sustainable police force.”
Ms Hernandez said the strategy builds on her first crime plan of 2016, and that priorities have been guided by community consultation.
“This plan is focused on the principles of prevention, partnerships and influence in order to deliver the objectives that communities have told me matter to them,” she said.
“They tell me they want more visible police officers in their community and by april 2023, thanks both to the Government’s national uplift and local contribution through the council tax, we will achieve a cohort of officers in excess of pre-austerity numbers.
“They tell me they want to see more action to tackle drug offences and antisocial behaviour and I am currently working with other police and Crime Commissioners across the South West on a plan to better support communities in the fight against the impact of drugs and drug
dealers. They tell me they want us to make our roads safer. In 2020, 44 people have been killed and 624 seriously injured on our roads. That’s far too many and through Vision Zero South West we are developing a partnership approach to dealing with the problem – with an ambitious target to reduce those numbers by 50 per cent by 2030.
“And finally, they tell me that violence in their communities is a continuing concern. Our new Serious Violence Prevention Programme, led in partnership with the Chief Constable, will help to drive the earliest possible interventions through teamwork and following the evidence to intervene early.”
Ms Hernandez said that the plan would also “actively tackle violence against women and girls, through Safer Streets approaches and by continuing to address the causes and consequences of domestic and sexual violence”.
She added: “As we recover from the effects of the pandemic and the long term effects on our community, it has never been more important to place public safety, community confidence and regeneration at the heart of our plans.”
Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer, said: “The Police and Crime Plan is integral to the day-to-day lives of people who live here and visit. It is a mechanism which ensures the public voice is heard when forming policing strategy, but also the operational delivery of services.
“This plan reminds us of the basics of British policing, that we police by consent and work with communities.
“Building resilient communities requires a broad coalition of public, private and third sector agencies to come together and the last few years has shown what can be achieved when there is clear strategic intent; the Police and Crime Plan is part of that strategic intent for the South West.”
The plan was unveiled at a Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Panel meeting on Friday, which heard the force is on course to recruit an additional 181 police officers this year. It is also set to benefit from the extra £4.2 billion announced in the budget for policing nationally, with an additional £42 million for new programmes that reduce crime and drugs misuse.
Included in this will be more money for victim support and a requirement on local authorities to provide support services for all victims of domestic abuse within safe accommodation.
Following incidents, including the Keyham shooting in August, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners undertook a public survey looking at potential changes to the licensing of firearms which ended on 20 October. The findings are yet to be published but there is reported to be a significant participation rate from Devon and Cornwall.