Neighbourhood policing strengthened in Durham
There will be the return of visible policing to high streets
There's going to be named, contactable officers in place now across every neighbourhood in Durham.
The Home Office says it'll provide a more direct link between the public and police to tackle crime and tasked with restoring a connection with the communities they serve, these dedicated officers will provide a guaranteed response for local concerns and enquiries.
Durham Constabulary are also now holding regular public meetings to give residents and businesses a voice on the issues they face, in addition to a dedicated antisocial behaviour lead delivering tailored action plans to tackle these concerns.
The Government says this is a key milestone in the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee – a flagship commitment in its central Plan for Change – aimed at returning visible policing to communities after years of decline. The number of people who regularly see police patrolling in their local area has halved in the past decade, while shoplifting has soared to record levels across the country and latest statistics show 12,876 ASB incidents in Durham.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Communities are sick of the antisocial behaviour and shop theft blighting their town centres. There are too many neighbourhoods across the country who simply do not feel safe.
“A connection between the police and public has been lost for too long but restoring visible officers to our streets and giving communities a proper named contact will rebuild those bonds with the communities they serve.
“The work forces have done so far under this government’s Plan for Change to restore trusted neighbourhood policing is already making a clear difference. We are now ending the postcode lottery of policing and ensuring every single community has a voice to make their streets safer.”
The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee is also now delivering increased patrols in town centres and other hotspot areas across Durham, including places such as Bishops Auckland and Darlington, using local intelligence to protect their high streets from shop theft and violence.
This has been kickstarted by the Home Secretary's Safer Streets Summer Initiative, with 11 towns across the region joining over 500 nationwide in a coordinated blitz on town centre crime and antisocial behaviour.
And to ensure Durham Constabulary gets the support it needs to keep its streets safe, 26 additional neighbourhood officers will be joining neighbourhood policing teams by Spring next year. This means up to 3,000 more officers and PCSOs in neighbourhood policing across all police forces in England and Wales.
Durham Constabulary's Operation Pave led by Inspector Dave Clarke and Sergeant Dan Beardmore from the Durham City Neighbourhood Police Team shows the neighbourhood policing guarantee delivering real results, with high-visibility patrols making 63 arrests, seizing 11 vehicles and reducing shoplifting by 13% - work that the Home Secretary saw first-hand during her visit earlier this week.
This targeted approach is working, with crime down 3% overall and officers joining the teams to tackle the issues that matter most to local communities.
Every resident across County Durham and Darlington now has a named officer they can contact directly via the force website and works with residents and businesses to develop tailored action plans addressing local priorities.
Chief Constable Rachel Bacon said: “Everyone has a right to feel safe in their own community.
“Every single member of the public in every neighbourhood in County Durham and Darlington now has a named officer, who they can contact directly, dedicated to tackling crime and antisocial behaviour where they live.
“We have put more officers on the streets, carried out extra patrols in our town centres, made more arrests and seized more weapons.
“We are seeing results and those officers are making a real difference in our communities”.
James Wilson Durham Markets Manager said: "With over 80 independent businesses trading at Durham Markets, we know how important it is for everyone to feel safe and welcome in the city centre.
“The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee builds on the great work Durham Constabulary already does, giving us a dedicated officer and strengthening the link between our traders and the police.
“Visible, approachable officers mean our traders can focus on their businesses, shoppers can enjoy their visit, and Durham can remain the vibrant, friendly city we’re proud to call home."
The APCC’s Joint Leads on Local Policing, Chris Nelson (Gloucestershire PCC) and Matt Storey (Cleveland PCC) said: “We know that visible and accessible local policing is a priority for communities, so we are pleased to see the progress forces are making in delivering the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, designed to strengthen community policing and create safer, more connected neighbourhoods.
“Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) across England and Wales are leading and supporting the ongoing Safer Streets Summer Initiative, highlighting important work being done in collaboration with local partners. PCCs look forward to the insight data from this summer’s initiative will bring, helping to create an evidence base of what is most effective in driving tangible change for the better.”
John Hayward-Cripps, Chief Executive, Neighbourhood Watch said: “This initiative reflects what many Neighbourhood Watch members want: responsive policing that prioritises local relationships. This is so important because people stop reporting issues when they don’t have confidence that something will be done. We know that successful community policing takes time. Having named and contactable officers is an extremely positive step, the most effective neighbourhood policing models combine targeted approaches with genuine community engagement.
“Working with communities as partners rather than passive recipients, should deliver the visible, community-based policing that not only keeps people safer, but builds confidence and encourages all of us to play an active role in our communities.”
Rebecca Bryant, Resolve CEO said: “At Resolve, we strongly welcome the rollout of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, particularly its renewed focus on tackling anti-social behaviour. The appointment of dedicated ASB leads and tailored local action plans reflects growing recognition of the long-term harm caused by persistent disruption.
“This initiative marks a positive step towards safer, more resilient neighbourhoods by placing community voices at the heart of local policing and also backing that up with guaranteed officer presence and swift response. We look forward to supporting forces and partners to ensure that these commitments are felt on the ground where they matter most.”
To contact your local, named officer visit the Durham Constabulary website and enter a postcode to see the latest information on neighbourhood officers and contact details.