Commissioner’s new plan will build on lessons of first term

Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl will underline the importance of local policing in his next Police and Crime Plan.

It is, he will say, ‘the golden thread’ that links police with local communities and makes policing in the UK unique to other countries.

Laying the foundations for the plan, the strategy for his next four years in office which is due to be launched early in the new year, Mr. Surl said it was time to reflect on what had been achieved in his first term and plan for the years ahead.

Reflecting on recent events, he said “Crimes involving drugs and knives, hardly unique to Gloucestershire, has led to levels of violence we’ve not seen since the 1980’s. Officers and staff are to be congratulated on their outstanding work in bringing the offenders to justice and going on the offensive against those who seek to flood our county with drugs and rule by violence & intimidation.

“But whilst it is absolutely right to vigorously pursue those who seek to harm us, I do not believe executive action alone will win the peace. That’s why in the new police and crime plan I stress the importance of maintaining neighbourhood policing even if it means adopting a different approach.

“Tempting though it may be to throw all the resources at the here and now it is important that neighbourhood teams are valued and maintained as they are vital to the relationship between the police and our communities”.

Since he was re-elected in May, Mr. Surl and his office have been looking very carefully and consulting on the new police and crime plan. Delivering it, he said, was essential if the police are to keep the public’s confidence.

“Much has been achieved in the last four years and daily we see the good work of the officers in the constabulary. This is an organisation the county can be proud of but we must always strive to do better.

“Answering 999 and 101 calls fluctuates and that has to stop though I am not sure any operating model could deliver everything we need given the circumstances and resources at our disposal. I would encourage the constabulary to try to understand why it hasn’t yet delivered everything that was planned and refine or change the model as necessary.

“The last few months have been a time to reflect on what has gone well and be honest about what could have been better; that’s the way we learn and the way I want us to operate”.

“The last few months have been a time to reflect on what has gone well and be honest about what could have been better; that’s the way we learn and the way I want us to operate”.

Gloucester News Centre – http://gloucesternewscentre.co.uk