Agenda item

To receive the Q2 Monitoring Report 2024/25.

The Police and Crime Commissioner gave an update on the progress against the Police and Crime Plan.

 

Priority 1 – Cut Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour – 00:10:05 on the recording.

 

The PCC highlighted the work currently being undertaken as part of the priority. He provided particular detail to the hours of patrols, stops and searches as well as addressing issues surrounding shop lifting and the initiatives to prevent this. Assuring members that they were making good use of the funding provided by the government. However, the PCC did inform the committee that with much regret, the Bobby Van Scheme would be coming to a stop due to increasing financial pressures.

 

Questions from the Priority Leads and Panel members (attached at appendix 1)

• Use of E-scooters
• Impact of the Bobby van scheme
• Use of drones

 

Panel members were given the opportunity to ask questions. The PCC responded in detail to questions in relation to the support provided by the Bobby Van Scheme to prevent crime, the smart water scheme, traffic violations and road safety initiatives.

 

Priority 2 – Make Policing More Visible and Connected – 00:34:10 on the recording.

 

The Police and Crime Commissioner highlighted the work being undertaken as part of priority two of the plan. Identifying an improvement with the number of answered 999 calls, hitting above the target within ten seconds. The PCC reminded members of the storm which hit Dorset a few weeks back and informed them that it had increased calls by more than 50%, however, emergency calls still met the target which demonstrated a good improvement. In addition to this, members of the public were given the opportunity to ask questions relating to police initiatives through the inclusion of family days. The Standards and Ethics Panel had been chaired by the Deputy Chief Constable and engagement strategies had been initiated during the summer months. The PCC noted the intelligence and importance of local community engagement which allowed for the correct allocation of resources.

There were no questions from the Priority Leads.

 

Panel members were given the opportunity to ask questions. The PCC responded in detail to questions in relation to engagement with local communities and community contact points.

 

Priority 3 – Fight Violent Crime and High Harm – 00:42:08 on the recording.

 

The Police and Crime Commissioner highlighted the work being undertaken as part of priority three of the plan, noting that the most serious of violent offences continued to fall, however, there had been an increase in the use of domestic violence, sexual harm and stalking prevention orders. The PCC informed members that they were working to improve the service to victims and had sought long term partnerships to improve services and support for victims. Drug testing on arrest had also been introduced in Dorset which had concluded a 75% rate of users as the latest figure. Members were informed that the use of illegal drugs drives 50% of murders and theft as well as 75% of shoplifting offences. Driving significant harm to women and girls.

Questions from the Priority Leads and Panel members (attached at appendix 1)

 

Panel members were given the opportunity to ask questions, of which there were none.

 

Priority 4 – Fight Rural Crime – 00:50:50 on the recording.

 

The Police and Crime Commissioner highlighted the work being undertaken as part of priority four of the plan. He informed the committee that work was being undertaken to try and improve communication with farming groups, meeting with national rural crime units. The PCC also addressed fly tipping, providing detail of initiatives from environment agencies. He also referred to the September meeting of the Dorset Partnership Against Rural Crime, which had a strong focus against wildlife crime, work was also being done to investigate what could be done to prevent this from happening and the consequences which could be implemented.

 

There were no questions from the Priority Leads, however, Cllr Starr made a comment regarding the difficulties in choosing what should be a priority and was pleased to see that the prevention of wildlife crime had been considered as one. He praised the PCC and his team for all the work that they had done and continued to carry out. 

 

Panel members were given the opportunity to ask questions, of which there were none.

 

Priority 5 – Put Victim and Communities First – 00:55:23 on the recording.

 

The Police and Crime Commissioner highlighted the work being undertaken as part of priority five of the plan, providing detail of a refreshed criminal justice strategy which had made four overarching schemes; provide quality support to victims and witnesses, provide and effective and efficient criminal justice service, promote rehabilitation and promote confidence in the whole of the criminal justice system. The strategy had been refreshed to ensure that they met the needs of the victims. In addition to this, a youth participation strategy had also been signed to ensure a variety of voices were captured. The PCC briefly mentioned that they had undertaken a review of veterans work to see what more could be done and following a review it had been confirmed that the hate crime awareness course through restorative Dorset could continue. The PCC was pleased that the number of victims supported by the OPCC commission services continued to rise.

 

Panel members were given the opportunity to ask questions. The PCC responded in detail to questions in relation to the Youth Participation Strategy.

 

Priority 6 – Make Every Penny Count – 00:59:34 on the recording.

 

The Police and Crime Commissioner highlighted the work being undertaken as part of priority six of the plan. The commissioning spend was detailed, highlighting that it was on track and moving in the right direction. The PCC discussed emergency funding measures, informing members that Dorset was the second worst funded force, therefore hard decisions and cuts were having to be made. Members were informed that monthly meetings with MP’s had been reinitiated and they were being urged to lobby on behalf of the people of Dorset. The annual safety survey was also discussed, and the PCC highlighted the importance of the continuation of the ten-year drug strategy. Members were informed there was a continued focus on safer streets and cutting knife crime. Lobbying continued on a range of fronts with a strong focus on improving Dorset for residents.

 

Questions from the Priority Leads and Panel members (attached at appendix 1) 

Panel members were given the opportunity to ask questions. The PCC responded in detail to questions in relation to neighbourhood policing, Projects MARS, effectiveness of continuous lobbying of local government for additional funding, redundancy of staff and officers and financial pressures.

 

NOTED.