My aim is for all residents to feel that their police force is visible in tackling the issues that matter to them and that they can engage with Surrey Police when they have a crime or anti-social behaviour problem or need other police support.
We must recognise that types of crime have changed considerably over the last decade or so, with a great deal of crime taking place in people’s homes and online. A visible presence on our streets provides reassurance to communities and that must continue. But we must balance this with the need for a police presence in places that aren’t always seen by the public, such as tackling online crimes and working to bring offenders to justice.
To give communities a visible police presence:
Surrey Police will…
- Ensure police are aware of local issues and work with communities and partners to solve local problems
My office will…
- Do our part to help promote the existing local policing teams so that Surrey communities know who they are and how to contact them
Together we will…
- Balance the desire from communities to see a physical policing presence, with the increasing demands from crimes committed in homes and online
- Direct increased resources funded by the Government uplift programme into the tackling the crime types which most affect Surrey’s communities
To ensure residents can contact Surrey Police:
Surrey Police will…
- Ensure there are a range of ways to contact Surrey Police that suit individual needs
- Ensure that people can get hold of the right person in Surrey Police and that their contact is responded to in a timely manner
- Maintain a high performance for answering 999 police emergency calls and improve the current waiting times for the 101 non-emergency service
My office will…
- Promote the different ways in which residents can contact police, including telephone and online reporting
- Hold the Chief Constable to account for performance in answering 999 and 101 calls
Together we will…
- Ensure that when people have a complaint, they know who to contact, have their complaint investigated proportionately and receive a timely response
To ensure that children and young people in Surrey feel engaged in policing:
Surrey Police will…
- Work with schools, colleges and youth groups on crime and community-safety related issues and find joint solutions
- Support a forum with schools, colleges and youth groups to share intelligence and receive updates on current threats, trends and data
My office will…
- Engage with children and young people and listen to their concerns and ideas while promoting Surrey Police as an organisation that respects and responds to their needs
- Support the work of the Youth Engagement Officers and the Surrey Volunteer Police Cadets
To ensure that there is feedback to residents on policing:
Surrey Police will…
- Improve feedback to individuals who have reported crime or concerns
- Improve feedback to local communities on crime trends, crime prevention advice and on success stories in reducing crime and catching offenders
My office will…
- Hold engagement meetings, surgeries and events with partners and residents
- With Surrey Police, use online methods such as Facebook to broaden engagement
To ensure that all communities in Surrey feel safe:
I want to make sure that all of Surrey’s diverse communities feel safe, whether those are geographical communities or communities with protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation).
Surrey Police will…
- Ensure that the Surrey Police Equality and Diversity strategy is implemented, including an aim to better reflect Surrey’s communities in the workforce
My office will…
- Meet with a wide and diverse range of community groups that represent residents across Surrey
Together we will…
- Ensure that the Commissioner’s and Surrey Police’s websites and other communications are accessible to Surrey’s communities
- Work with communities, including the travelling community, to find solutions to unauthorised encampments, including working with partners to develop a transit site in Surrey
To support volunteering:
Engagement between Surrey residents and police can be strengthened through community volunteering. My office runs the Independent Custody Visiting Scheme in which members of the community go into police custody to check on the welfare of detainees. There are also volunteering opportunities in Surrey Police, such as Special Constables and Police Support Volunteers.
Surrey Police will…
- Promote and recruit to police volunteering opportunities
My office will…
- Continue to operate an effective Independent Custody Visiting Scheme, supporting the volunteers and working with the Chief Constable on any issues identified
- Continue to support Special Constables and other volunteers across Surrey Police and recognise the role they play in keeping our communities safe