The Police & Crime Plan for Lancashire 2024-2029 - Page 7

For the victims that deal with the consequences of crime such as burglary and robbery, drug dealing, traffic offences and ASB concerns like off-road bikes and intimidating behaviour, there is no such thing as more ‘minor’ crimes, and the public rightly expect a prompt and proportionate response that attends to their needs and concerns.

Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB)

I believe in not just addressing the symptoms, but also the root causes of crime and ASB. This includes understanding the factors that contribute to such behaviours and implementing measures to mitigate them.

Anti-social behaviour damages confidence in the police and other public authorities whilst severely damaging people’s quality of life.

It can also lead to more severe offending when unchallenged and is a key example of how breaking the reoffending cycle and deterring offending are a crucial part of making our streets safer, alongside efficient and effective policing.

As Commissioner I will:

• Strengthen Operation Centurion to combat anti-social behaviour and ensure it’s a priority across Lancashire, in ASB hotspots and beyond.
• Continue to explore all government funding options to tackle ASB.
• Work to improve the reporting of ASB and increase confidence in both police and partners’ response.
• Work with Community Safety Partnerships to ensure everyone does their part to tackle ASB, keep people safe and engage with those most at risk of becoming involved in criminality.
• Back calls for Respect Orders, to ensure that town centres are safe spaces.
• Support local diversionary projects through grant funding, utilising cash seized from criminals.
• Support the introduction of the Young Futures Programme and Hubs.

Retail Crime

For too long we have seen the damage that both retail crime and shopworker abuse has on the people it involves.

We need to support the policing response in Lancashire to make sure no offenders think they can commit crime with impunity, whether shoplifting, fraud or being abusive.

Actions need to have consequences and workers, business owners and customers need to feel confident in the police response they will receive – both to feel safe and ensure every incident is reported, allowing a fuller picture of what is happening in our communities to be built and influence operational decisions.

As Commissioner I will:

• Back Operation Vulture, Lancashire Constabulary’s response to retail crime and ensure it addresses the concerns raised to me by the public.
• Support the introduction of a new specific offence for assaults on shopworkers that will protect them from threats and violence.
• Engage with the business community and partners to prevent an increase in retail crime.

Road Safety

Lancashire continues to see far too many people killed or suffer serious, life-changing injury on our roads.

In common with the national trend, the rate of reduction in those killed and seriously injured on Lancashire’s roads has slowed in recent years, however, amongst some vulnerable road users, numbers are increasing. The only acceptable number of road casualties is zero.

It is important that everyone in Lancashire is safe and feels safe on our roads. I fully support the safe system approach – safe roads, behaviours, speeds, vehicles and an effective post collision response.

As Commissioner I will:

• Support the work of the Lancashire Road Safety Partnership (LRSP) and Vision Zero.
• Support the roads policing team to tackle areas of harm and risk: speeding, careless driving, use of mobile phones, drink and drug driving, and seatbelts.
• Continue to invest in the road crime team to deny use of the roads for criminality.

Rural Crime

Since I introduced rural crime taskforces, they have made a huge impact in reducing crime and building confidence. Lancashire has a large rural community that makes a huge contribution to our county, and therefore protecting rural and isolated areas a key priority.

We already work well with our rural communities, but we want to make an even bigger difference to their safety and security by helping them build greater resilience, prioritise the crime that matters to them, support victims and protect the vulnerable. Most importantly, we want to prevent crime by building on the strength of rural communities to reduce crime together.

As Commissioner I will:

• Work with rural communities to help them build greater resilience and make them more safe and secure for all.
• Invest in rural crime taskforces to help improve police visibility in rural communities.

Fraud and Cybercrime

Fraud and cybercrime pose a significant threat and challenge.

Taken together, they make up a significant proportion of all crime and are one of the biggest risks to us all, yet it is not generally top of the list of public concerns. Victims of fraud are often traumatised by what they have suffered, and it is not something Lancashire can tackle in isolation.

As Commissioner I will:

• Invest in digital investigations, helping us stay one step ahead of those who seek to take advantage of vulnerable people and organisations.
• Increase investment in education and crime prevention to reduce the risks.
• Work with partners regionally and nationally, to improve the wider response to cybercrime and fraud by all agencies.