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Police and public back policing pledge and cuts to red tape

Police and public back policing pledge and cuts to red tape

HOME OFFICE News Release (210/2008) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 28 November 2008

Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, today reaffirmed her commitment to cutting police red tape, strengthening local accountability and giving the public a greater say over how their communities are policed, as the responses to the Government's Green Paper were published.

The responses to the Policing Green Paper revealed the police and public have strongly backed new Government measures to cut red tape, introduce a new national Policing Pledge and give local people a greater voice in how crime is tackled in their neighbourhoods. They also showed a strong endorsement for high quality customer service from police.

Joining a community meeting at the Old Barn Community Centre in Leeds, the Home Secretary congratulated West Yorkshire Police for being one of the first to deliver the new Policing Pledge. She said the Policing Pledge gives local people a stronger voice in setting local police priorities and the means to challenge their local force if they are not getting the service they expect.

The Pledge also includes clear standards for the amount of time spent on the beat, easy ways to contact your local neighbourhood team and clear response times to all calls and incidents.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said:

"On visits up and down the country I have seen first hand the positive impact of neighbourhood policing and the growing involvement of communities in the fight against crime. That is why I am today standing shoulder to shoulder with the public by reaffirming the Government's commitment to deliver the Policing Green Paper.

"I congratulate West Yorkshire Police Force for being one of the first to deliver the Policing Pledge for their public. For the first time the public will know the minimum standard of service they should receive and I look forward to all forces making the same, visible commitment to their local communities by the end of the year.

"The public are our strongest weapon in tackling crime and I passionately believe that empowering them to get a good deal through the Policing Pledge will play a powerful role in driving up the quality of policing for our citizens and in our communities. I look forward to driving forward all the reforms in the Policing Green Paper."

The Policing Pledge is part of a radical programme of reform to increase public confidence in how crime is tackled and justice delivered which was published in the Policing Green Paper. The Government today reaffirmed its commitment to key measures from the Policing Green Paper, including:

* a stronger voice for local people - regular information on crime, including crime maps, and action being taken to tackle it and regular local meetings to discuss priorities, backed by new directly elected Crime and Policing Representatives on Police Authorities. The government noted that the Association of Police Authorities' own polling found that 55% of people actively supported directly elected Crime and Policing Representatives, compared to only 19% who disagreed. A new Councillor Call for Action on crime and disorder will also be introduced by April 2009, to strengthen the links with the public and councils;

* removing all but one central target imposed on police forces - to increase public confidence in the police and other agencies to reduce crime;

* a new enhanced role for Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), giving them a greater role too robustly and transparently scrutinise police performance; and

* the appointment of Jan Berry as an independent bureaucracy champion to drive further cuts in red tape and free up extra police hours.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The Policing Green Paper From the Neighbourhood to the National: Policing Our Communities was published on 17 July 2008. It can be found on the Home Office website at http://www.police.homeoffice.gov.uk/police-reform/

2. The Summary of Green Paper Consultation Responses and Next Steps can be found at http://www.police.homeoffice.gov.uk/police-reform/

3. Police performance data for the year 2007/08 will be published today at: http://www.police.homeoffice.gov.uk/performance-and-measurement/performance-assessment/

4. Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary today publishes 'A Thematic Report on Neighbourhood Policing and Developing Citizen Focus Policing'. The report can be found at: http://inspectorates.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmic/

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