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.
