I've been interested and involved in the development of Neighbourhood Policing since the launch of the first Neighbourhood Action Group in Redlands back in 2007.
According to research undertaken by the Home Office into awareness of policing published today:
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53% of people feel that they know little or nothing about their local Police team
- 58% of people say they know little or nothing about how to find out about where and when Police Neighbourhood meetings are held
...and only 66% of people actually know what local priorities Police are concentrating on in their area.
These statistics are worrying and a blow to Jacqui Smith who argued that Neighbourhood Policing would increase community confidence in the Police.
They reflect very much my experience of talking to local residents in Redlands and around Reading about policing and the very low awareness of Neighbourhood Policing in many areas, such as South Reading.
As we have consistently said the lack of resources available to the Police for local communications or any kind of regular dialogue with local people has reduced the effectiveness of this type of community Policing.
I have raised issues about the effectiveness of Neighbourhood Policing many times in Council meetings and when the Home Affairs Select Committee visited Reading last April as part of their inquiry into Policing.
Today's depressing statistics about public perceptions about Policing underline the fact the extra resources we have secured in the Budget are urgently needed and worth campaigning for.
On a positive note, the new Thames Valley Police website is a vast improvement on the old one.
To find out which Neighbourhood Police area you live in, who your Neighbourhood Police Officers are and what local crime priorities are in your area tackling type in your postcode on the website.
Update:
The Evening Post has covered the story. I'm please to say days after I wrote this the EP published a wraparound article listing the details of the Neighbourhood Police teams in Reading which was very welcome.
By the way - you may see me in some of their promotional material in your student areas! Our TVP NAG here started something this year that HQ wanted to take authority wide - of taking a very close interest in halls of residence as clear hotspots for crime (I had another student burgled tonight).
They've been very pro-active and although there were a few small issues at the beginning of term when I think wardens introducing ourselves to new arrivals in their flats in the company of the local bobby fazed a few of them it has generally been well received and I am sure has reduced the incidence of crime in the area of the hall specifically and I guess next year will see whether it has an impact in thw dier student private housing areas as people take their better security nous with them when they move out.
Posted by: Jock | March 05, 2009 at 12:23 AM