The Police & Crime Plan for Lancashire 2024-2029 - Page 9

Work must continue to improve communication between the police and the public they serve; always striving to build relationships within communities as well as between communities and the police.

A decade of austerity saw police officer numbers plummet, the erosion of proactive policing, together with a more reactive focus to crimes that have been committed as opposed to balancing this with prevention, thereby damaging the perception of what policing is.

Even more crucially, the perceived drop in standards the public have seen has been compounded by high profile instances of officers committing the ultimate betrayals of public trust, meaning there is much work to do on rebuilding bridges with whole communities.

Crime is becoming increasingly complex and the way the force operates needs to reflect that.

Public confidence in Lancashire Police to do a good job, including understanding and dealing with the issues that matter to local communities has been in decline.

I will focus on restoring confidence, both through the maintaining of standards and highlighting what actions are taken 24. The Police & Crime Plan for Lancashire 2024 – 2029 when officers and staff fall short of these, alongside making sure the Constabulary meets the needs of the public when they need them most.

Neighbourhood Policing

Neighbourhood Policing is fundamental to the police’s relationship with the public and to prevent crime. As the voice of policing in Lancashire, I am passionate about securing the best possible deal for the county that provides as many officers on the beat as possible, delivering the effective, efficient service that the public deserve.

We know that the number of officers recruited in recent years through the national Uplift Programme has seen officer numbers increase close to levels before austerity led to severe cuts to police budgets in 2010/11 onwards.

However, what matters most to people isn’t numbers of officers, it is the confidence that those officers recruited are being utilised in the right way, on the streets to prevent and deter crime, making communities safer.

Neighbourhood Policing is built on the foundation of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and Community Beat Managers in the community. PCSOs perform an essential role that contributes to gathering intelligence, solving problems and interactions with the public.

Local policing also requires strong investigations, supporting the teams of detectives to ensure crimes are punished and future victims prevented. Visible neighbourhood policing is not important simply to reassure the public, but to ensure the force becomes more proactive in f ighting crime.

As Commissioner I will:

• Work with Government to strengthen local policing teams to tackle local crime and engage communities.
• Hold the Chief Constable to account for the delivery of strong community policing which sees officers out on our streets where the public expect to see them.
• Ensure problem solving to tackle the underlying causes of crime and disorder that matter most to the public.
• Work with the Constabulary to share good work and update the public.

Citizens in Policing

Volunteers add huge value to policing through improving community engagement, increasing available resources and skillsets, and allowing officers and staff to focus on frontline duties.

Citizens in Policing within Lancashire includes Special Constables, Police Support Volunteers and Volunteer Police Cadets.

Volunteers are focused on supporting frontline services and reducing vulnerability and demand. Support is delivered across a wide range of areas, and in policing special events.

As Commissioner I will:

• Support the Constabulary to improve the contribution of the Special Constabulary.
• Invest in our Police Cadets to build trust and confidence with other young people and those who may not necessarily engage with police.
• Recruit a wide range of professionals and volunteers to support my work in police scrutiny.

Raise Standards

The police are there to keep us safe and the public should be able to trust they will always act in a lawful and ethical manner. National headlines and the actions of officers that have rightly horrified the public, has seen confidence fall. The all too often slow processes in terms of initial police complaints and appropriate sanctions available against officers who have committed misconduct, also damages trust.

Alongside a perception that policing does not always crack down on crime before it escalates, this is something that we must work together to address.

Helping raise standards also requires a focus on the wellbeing and training, and capability of officers and staff.

We also need to ensure the Constabulary stays one step ahead of offenders and ahead of the curve when it comes to technology. Policing can never stand still, and I will back the Chief Constable where ideas and proposals look at new ways of working.

As Commissioner, I will:

• Work with Government to review vetting and misconduct procedures.
• Utilise the legislation available to me as Commissioner to support outcomes for misconduct.
• Monitor the number of complaints which Lancashire Constabulary receive and take learning from the outcomes.
• Develop improved, more representative community involvement that holds the police to account for their use of stop and search powers or use of force on people.

Improve Public Contact

It is crucial that the public have confidence that the police will be there if they need them. Too often the public are being failed at the first point of contact. Alongside this, there is also work needed to improve the experience of residents who contact or engage with the Constabulary.

When the public contact the police, particularly in an emergency when calling 999, reporting an incident via 101, or when being updated on a previous offence, it’s usually when they are at their lowest point. The Police & Crime Plan for Lancashire 2024 – 2029 If these key contact points let the public down, trust is often destroyed and the perception even from others who have not had this type of experience is also negative.

Whilst of course, we don’t and can’t ever get everything right, we need to have the structures in place where we recognise errors, address training needs and where necessary dismiss those who fail the public.

The public need to be more confident that the police deal with public complaints fairly and effectively. Where we do get it wrong the public need to have the ability and the confidence to raise this and know I will take it seriously, ensuring that complaints are investigated, responses given, and lessons learnt.

As Commissioner, I will:

• Monitor customer contact and recontact through Force Control Room data, including online reporting.
• Scrutinise the Constabulary performance in dealing with public contact.
• Hold Lancashire Constabulary to account to ensure every victim of crime sees or speaks to a Police Officer regardless of how they contact Lancashire Police.
• Ensure Lancashire Constabulary has systems in place to identify vulnerable and repeat victims.
• Ensure attendance targets are published to ensure the public know what service to expect.
• Support Lancashire Constabulary in enhancing the online reporting offer, including the introduction of webchat.
• Improve how Lancashire Constabulary treat the public to make sure that all interactions and encounters are professional.
• Track victim satisfaction with Lancashire Constabulary and commit to understanding the ways in which satisfaction can be improved.
• Monitor the continued implementation of Right Care, Right Person.
• Provide accessible information to the public on how Lancashire Constabulary is keeping people safe and spending taxpayers’ money.

Proceeds of Crime

Like any business, criminal enterprises are out looking to make a profit. By showing the tough enforcement carried out through Operation Warrior, we will send the message to those considering a life of crime, you’ll be caught, and your assets seized.

The Proceeds of Crime Act ensures forces use money and goods seized from criminals to make local communities safer.

As Commissioner, I will:

• Back Lancashire Constabulary’s Economic Crime Unit and wider force efforts to strip criminals of any proceeds of crime.
• Publicise investment into crime reduction and prevention activity using proceeds of crime.

Victim Focused Service

Victims and their experiences must be at the heart of everything Lancashire Constabulary does, whether officers out on the front line, investigators gathering evidence to get justice, or staff that deliver the efficient and effective service we all expect.

That means focusing on high quality investigations, prompt response to calls requiring a response and keeping those impacted by crime informed, whilst offering them the support they need at what is often their most difficult time.

As Commissioner I will:

• Ensure the best value for money through the procurement of support for victims of crime.
• Promote the victims code and ensure it’s at the heart of decision making.
• Oversee complaints system to increase accountability.