HOME OFFICE News
Release (254/2008) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 31
December 2008
The Home Secretary
Jacqui Smith today congratulated all 43 police forces for their
outstanding commitment in reaching the momentous milestone of
delivering the Policing Pledge for every community across England
and Wales.
The Pledge is a new and clear deal on what the public can expect
from the police. It gives local people an unprecedented say over
how their communities are policed and the opportunity to hold the
police to account - to ensure they are getting the service they
want. The public can also be confident that the police are
delivering the same set of national service standards throughout
the country while still delivering action on the issues that are
local priorities.
The Policing Pledge is one part of a package of radical reforms
set out in the Policing Green Paper earlier this year to build on
achievements, like the 40 per cent reduction in crime since 1997.
These include a single target to drive up public confidence, more
local crime information for the public and further measures to cut
red tape, getting more officers back out on the beat.
Jacqui Smith said:
"The public are our strongest weapon in tackling crime and
the Policing Pledge is a clear deal on what you can expect from
the police. I passionately believe that building confidence by
giving you more local crime information, listening to your
concerns and making your priorities our priorities we will drive
up the quality of policing for you and your communities.
"I congratulate all 43 police forces for their hard work and
dedication to deliver the Policing Pledge for their public. For
the first time, you will know the minimum standard of service you
should receive and you will have a greater say and influence over
how your streets are policed.
"The Policing Pledge is just part of a package of radical
reforms introduced for the police this year which include cutting
red tape to give the police more freedom to get on with the job of
reducing crime and removing all but one central target imposed on
police forces - to increase your confidence."
Chief Constable and President of the Association of Chief Police
Officers (ACPO) Ken Jones, said:
"The National Policing Pledge for the first time sets out a
clear framework within which customised local pledges can be
developed. The tide of centrally driven targets and mandated
activity is being turned back.
"The police service is committed to increasing public
confidence through continual improvement of our service and the
Pledge underlines our determination. However building confidence
also demands that many of our partner agencies continue to step up
and share the challenge with us.
"Police forces around the country are beginning to work with
their local neighbourhoods to put the Pledge into practice. Chiefs
are also working with the Home Office, and other agencies, to make
sure that the necessary cuts to bureaucracy, and changes to
centralised target setting, continue to be delivered. These
reforms are directly linked to the Pledge as they will deliver the
needed headroom which local policing teams need to create a truly
local service tailored to individual neighbourhoods."
The national Policing Pledge gives the public a clear minimum
standard of service, including:
* contact telephone numbers and maximum response times to
emergency, urgent or priority calls to give you the service you
need, when you need it; regular street surgeries and meetings
between the local police and the community to agree priorities and
actions to address these. These will be held where it's
convenient for you; your local supermarket, church hall, football
club - or even mother and baby group;
* local crime information including what has happened to those
brought to justice in your neighbourhood; and
* more visible policing; neighbourhood policing teams will spend
at least 80 per cent of their time visibly working on behalf of
the public in their neighbourhood.
In addition to the national standard every neighbourhood will
have a local pledge by which to hold their local teams to account
and includes contact details of their local team and how and where
the teams will meet up with the public to discuss their feedback,
concerns and local priorities for action.
The positive impact of neighbourhood policing and the growing
involvement of communities in the fight against crime were
witnessed firsthand by Home Secretary on her visit to Crabb Cross
today. In her visit to West Mercia Police the Home Secretary
joined Crabb Cross neighbourhood policing team as they met with
members of the local community to discuss the pledge, and listen
to their local priorities.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The Policing Green Paper was published on 17 July 2008 and can
be found at http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/police-reform/Policing_GP/.
2. Our response to The Policing Green Paper was published on 28
November 2008 and can be found at http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/police-reform/green-paper-responses?view=Standard&pubID=599543
3. As of tomorrow (1 January 2009), every force across England
and Wales will implement the new streamlined method of the Stop
and Account procedure. This is an important step in the
Government's commitment to reduce police bureaucracy and to
free-up police officer time. When an individual is stopped by
the police and asked to account for themselves, police officers
will record that encounter via Airwave radio, ensuring only the
race of the individual is recorded together with the exact
geographical location.