PCC welcomes national focus on neighbourhood policing
Nottinghamshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden has welcomed a national focus on the importance of neighbourhood policing in the latest State of Policing report.
The report by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) is an annual assessment on policing of policing across England and Wales.
It says that neighbourhood policing and crime prevention remain among the strongest areas of police performance, with HMICFRS’s findings showing that better-performing forces protect neighbourhood policing teams from being routinely taken away from their usual work.
This allows them to focus on community engagement, problem-solving and tackling the underlying causes of crime and antisocial behaviour.
PCC Godden said: "It is really pleasing to hear this reflection from HMICFRS, as I think neighbourhood policing is vital to ongoing efforts to rebuild public trust and confidence in policing.
"Whilst there are an array of excellent services within policing, including response, CID, roads, firearms and public protection to name just a few, neighbourhood policing is a pivotal service that connects us most directly with the public, through community engagement and problem-solving on issues that matter most to local people.
"Since the introduction of its new neighbourhood policing model and abstraction policy in 2024, Nottinghamshire Police has been working hard to ensure neighbourhood policing teams have officers who are safeguarded to be in the right place at the right time to work closely with the community.
"The force has one of the highest proportions of neighbourhood police officers in all forces across England and Wales."
The report also recognises policing is under increasing strain as crime, threats and public expectations change and as forces face growing financial pressures, whilst adding that proposed Government policing reform could offer the opportunity to become more efficient and effective.
It also points to the need for forces to get the basics right, including the need for strong leadership and investigations.
PCC Godden added: "I'm proud of the work Nottinghamshire Police has done to improve in these areas, which saw the force being removed from enhanced monitoring by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) last year.
"Nationally policing has faced a number of challenges including an increasing demand for services and an increasing complexity of issues falling to the police to deal with, whilst public trust and confidence has been decreasing.
"The government's national proposal for policing reform offers the chance to modernise and give the public a more consistent service nationwide, making it more accessible to all whilst also being responsive to local needs, and I believe this will help police forces to become more efficient and effective and again, this will support ongoing efforts to rebuild public trust and confidence.
"I will continue to work closely with the Chief Constable to provide ongoing scrutiny to ensure the force delivers the highest possible standards for the public of Nottinghamshire and that we have a voice in any changes made on the national stage."