4th September 2014
Report of the Police & Crime Commissioner
Priority Update – ‘Provide a Visible and Accessible Neighbourhood Policing
Style’
1.
Purpose of the Report
On 26th September 2013, the Police and Crime Panel received the Police and
Crime Commissioner’s (PCC) initial priority update report on providing a
visible and accessible neighbourhood policing style. The report provided
panel members with progress to date against this key priority.
The purpose of this report is to provide members of the Panel with a further
update on the PCC’s priority to provide a visible and accessible
neighbourhood policing style.
2.
Recommendations
The Panel is asked to note the contents of this report.
3.
Background
3.1
The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 places a statutory duty
on PCCs to issue a Police and Crime Plan for their police area. One of the
main purposes of the Police and Crime Plan is to set out the PCC’s police and
crime objectives. Consequently, the PCC has issued the Police and Crime
Plan and set the following key priorities;(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
Reducing Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour;
Provide a Visible and Accessible Neighbourhood Policing Style;
Tackling Serious and Organised Crime;
Maintaining Public Safety; and
Take Effective Action Against all forms of Hate Crime.
3.2
The Police and Crime Plan also defines the short, medium and long term
outcomes that will be considered by the PCC when reviewing progress
against the plan.
3.3
This update report focuses on progress to date against the medium term
outcomes on providing a visible and accessible neighbourhood policing style.
4.
Provide a Visible and Accessible Neighbourhood Policing Style
Outcomes
4.1
In respect of the key priority to ‘provide a visible and accessible
neighbourhood policing style the outcomes that will be considered by the PCC
when reviewing progress of this priority are as follows:-
Short Term
 Provide a visible and accessible policing presence.
 Maintain the high levels of satisfaction with the service provided to victims of
crime and ASB.
 Attend 90% of emergency calls within 10 minutes.
Medium Term
 Prioritise ‘troubled families’ that have a disproportionate impact on criminality
and ASB.
 Develop and support the contribution to neighbourhood policing by the
extended police family.
 Gather information and intelligence to ensure resources are focused on those
causing most risk or harm to the community.
Long Term
 Maintain public confidence in Merseyside Police.
 Reduce crime and ASB in communities that experience disproportionately high
levels.
5.
Progress Against Medium Term Outcomes
5.1
Short term outcomes for the neighbourhood policing objective provide
reassurance around police presence, response times and attendance. The
medium term outcomes have a different focus with outcomes on police and
partnership work around troubled families, the wider policing family and
ensuring the police gather and use intelligence to inform decisions around
resources.
6.
Troubled Families
6.1
As stated within the Police and Crime Plan, Troubled Families forms part of
the PCC’s objective to deliver neighbourhood policing across Merseyside.
Troubled families are those that have problems and cause problems to the
community around them, putting high costs on the public sector. The national
Troubled Families programme is working towards the overall aims of the
programme to get children back into school, put adults on the path back to
work, reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, and reduce costs to the public
sector.
6.2
Each local authority in Merseyside has signed up to the approach and has a
dedicated team working to achieve the targets identified and to improve
outcomes for those families. These dedicated teams work in partnership with
partners from each local authority Community Safety Partnership and third
sector organisations. A key outcome for each team is to reduce youth crime
and anti-social behaviour.
6.3
The table below outlines the number of families identified in each local
authority area and the percentage of those families who have been ‘turned
around’.
LA Area
No. Identified
% Turned Around
Liverpool
St Helens
Knowsley
Wirral
Sefton
2,105
520
620
910
650
75%
28%
60%
41%
44%
6.4
PCC Community Engagement Officers have established links with each of the
Troubled Families teams in their designated areas. This ensures a good
understanding of the programme across Merseyside and provides timely
updates regarding performance and the progress of the programme.
6.5
A recent example of good practice is shown in the Wirral. Earlier this year,
Wirral Council asked all partners including the Police and Crime
Commissioner, Merseyside Police and Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group to
sign a pledge to demonstrate their commitment to a Targeted Early Help
approach for all families across Wirral. Going forward, all partners who have
signed up to the pledge will sit on a Steering Group to ensure that, as far as
possible, this approach is adopted in all areas of their work. The PCC will be
represented on this meeting by the Wirral Community Engagement Officer.
7.
Develop and support the contribution to neighbourhood policing by the
extended police family
7.1 A further element of the neighbourhood policing objective relates to developing
the extended police family to enhance neighbourhood policing. To date work to
extend the police family has included:
Police Support Volunteers
•
There are currently 140 active Police Support Volunteers (PSVs). During the
financial year April 2013 – March 2014 PSVs performed 13,739 hours equating
to £187,812.13 added value to Merseyside Police (The figure attached is
‘Added Value’ to the force. In 2011 a piece of work was conducted by the
National lead for Volunteers. As part of that piece of work, they calculated the
value of a Volunteering hour in each region. This value for Merseyside was
£13.67 per volunteer hour).
•
PSVs perform functions within departments and neighbourhoods to assist core
staff and release them to frontline duties. One example is the High Tech Crime
Unit. Since the introduction of PSVs in the unit, along with some other changes,
the waiting time for evidence from computers has reduced from 18-19 months
to 5 months on average. PSVs in this unit conduct the time consuming task of
abstracting data from the computers, leaving more time for officers to analyse
data, gather evidence for criminal investigations and thus speeding up the
criminal justice process.
Home Watch and Neighbourhood Watch
•
Home Watch volunteers support the Home Watch movement across
Merseyside, and enhance the relationship and communication between both
organisations.
•
Following a review in 2013, a number of steps have been taken to enhance the
partnership between Home Watch and Merseyside Police, to increase
effectiveness and security in communities.
•
Following the deletion of Home Office information, a new Crime Prevention
booklet has been produced with up to date information on security standards
and how to keep yourself and your property safe.
•
A monthly Force newsletter has been introduced which is sent out to all leaders
and contains information on current crime trends, crime prevention advice and
projects for Home Watch leaders to participate in.
•
Each Basic Command Unit (BCU) has been tasked with identifying hard to
reach communities, and engaging with them to develop new Home Watch
schemes. A number of new schemes have been developed, including areas
such as Kensington and Birkenhead. Some of these schemes do not wish to
use the Home Watch branding for fear of reprisals; therefore, they are either
operating covertly, or under the tenants and residents association names.
•
Each BCU now hold meetings with Home Watch members on a quarterly basis.
Information from these meetings will be brought to the Force meetings, where
good practice and potential funding pots will be shared.
Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS)
•
41 Traffic Management operatives from Cash and Traffic Management have
been accredited with traffic management powers under the CSAS scheme.
These operatives were deployed as part of the Open Golf tournament in July
2014, releasing police officers and PCSOs to core duties, minimising the impact
on police resources during this competition. This is the first private sector
accreditation for the Force.
Special Constabulary
•
The Special Constabulary is currently subject to a review. The aim of the review
is to provide a flexible, dependable and competent operational resource, which
is integrated into the Force and actively delivers on community priorities. An
example includes ensuring the current training model does not preclude people
from joining e.g. teachers who cannot attend training midweek due to school
commitments.
•
BCU Commanders have been empowered with posting Special Constables to
wherever they deem is beneficial based on threat, harm, risk and community
needs. Special Constables will provide a visible front line resource alongside
neighbourhood officers and PCSOs.
•
A three year plan is in place to increase the Special Constabulary from 400 to
600 officers. Marketing and recruiting processes are being put in place to
attract not only individuals that want to join the Force but also those who wish
to become career specials. Marketing and recruitment will also be targeted to
ensure that the Special Constabulary represents the community it serves.
Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs)
•
As reported in the PCC’s initial Neighbourhood Policing priority update, under
phase 2 of the Sustaining Excellence Programme, PCSOs were designated
with a number of additional powers to enhance their skill base and support
neighbourhood policing. Three of these powers required local authority
designation – power to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice for littering, fly posting or
graffiti. Work is on-going to secure this secondary authority, all local authorities
have agreed the memorandum of understand and a meeting is scheduled to
finalise this arrangement. PCSOs will receive full training in advance of new
powers coming into effect.
7.2 By ensuring there is a commitment to extending the policing family the PCC
and Chief Constable aim to provide a visible and accessible neighbourhood
policing style through a variety of mechanisms both traditional and
contemporary. Initiatives including Home Watch and PSVs free up officer time,
which can then be spent ensuring a dedicated, visible and accessible
neighbourhood level service is available to the public.
7.3 Since November 2013, when phase 2 of the Sustaining Excellence Programme
review was initiated, there have been no further losses of officers or PCS0Os
from neighbourhood policing. There has been some movement of officers and
staff between neighbourhood sections to manage demand. This again
represents the PCC’s commitment to providing neighbourhood policing.
8.
Gather information and intelligence to ensure resources are focused on
those causing most risk or harm to the community
8.1 Information and intelligence gathered by neighbourhood officers from the
community is vital to tackling the wider objectives referred to in the PCC’s
Police and Crime Plan, especially information relating to serious and organised
crime. To date, work to ensure the Force gather information and intelligence
and use this information to inform decisions around resources has included:

The Chief Constable established the ‘Just Trilogy’ comprising ‘Just Talk’, ‘Just
Think’ and ‘Just Lead’. This emphasised the importance of the role and
responsibilities of each and every Merseyside police officer speaking with
people in our communities to understand local issues of concern and ensure
that information is properly assessed and responded to. Building on the
success of JUST, Merseyside Police introduced an Intelligence Improvement
Initiative in October 2013 (TRIPLE I) aimed at improving:i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
A substantial increase in intelligence contribution from all police officers,
police staff colleagues and partner agencies into the intelligence
system. This has involved a marketing campaign, seminars, partnership
briefings and training sessions for Special Constabulary colleagues.
Increasing the number of ways intelligence can be submitted into the
intelligence system, which has included a 24 hour helpdesk, over 300
intelligence champions and an automated telephone system which is
also due to be rolled out to key partner agencies.
A streamlining of all intelligence systems and processes to ensure
expedited action to intelligence provided particularly in relation to risk
and harm facing the community.
An improved systematic approach to filling intelligence gaps against
threats, harm and risk facing the communities of Merseyside. The aim is
to understand threat, harm and risk as much as we can to enable the
right resources to be put in to the right place at the right time. Below are
some examples of work being undertaken:-

Development of intelligence sharing agreements with public sector
organisations such as the Security Industry Authority, Department for Work
and Pensions, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, the Vehicle and
Operator Services Agency, Trading Standards and the Health and Safety
Executive. This approach forms part of the National Crime Agency’s Serious
and Organised Crime Strategy.

Development of intelligence sharing agreements with private sector
organisations, such as insurance companies, hire car companies, who are
able to provide intelligence on individuals involved in serious and organised
crime. Again, this approach is recognised within the National Crime Agency’s
Serious and Organised Crime Strategy.

Recommendations made in the April 2014 Her Majesty’s Inspectorate
Constabulary Strategic Policing Requirement report focus particularly on
increasing capacity around cyber-crime and sharing intelligence with the
National Crime Agency. HMIC recommendations have been taken into
account following the publication of this national report. For example, the
Force has invested in cyber capability to develop intelligence gathering
opportunities within the Open Source environment. This has allowed greater
tasking opportunities for frontline staff and has offered an improved
intelligence picture, particularly against organised crime groups.

Use of Covert Human Intelligence Sources tasked in relation to area and
Force priorities. Merseyside Police have also invested in a source recruitment
team to identify, recruit and develop human intelligence sources aimed at
improving our knowledge of strategic threats and improve geographical
intelligence coverage and, therefore, focus on priority threat, harm and risk.

The threat, harm and risk process is a daily event reviewing intelligence and
incidents in order that we highlight threats for tasking and response.

There is also a weekly Intelligence Operation meeting which ensures all daily
overt and covert tasking of police resources is appropriate to the threat posed.

Additionally, the most harmful organised crime groups and urban street gangs
are allocated for action under the tiered response of organised crime group
management, which may involve intelligence gathering or disruption by local
officers or a full covert investigation with various police resources attached.
This is achieved through patrol activity, operations, covert activity and working
with partners. Plan owners are held to account by Local Responsible Officers,
usually a Superintendent and then the action undertaken is monitored by a
Force Tasking and Co-ordination Governance meeting chaired by an
Assistant Chief Constable.

Use of Crimestoppers and press office in appeals for information and
intelligence around critical events.

Use of covert policing tactics targeted against harmful organised crime groups
and individuals.

Established the regional Prison Intelligence unit to maximise as a source of
information.

Regionalisation of Confidential Unit to ensure maximisation of intelligence
product.
8.2
One way in which the Police can collate valuable intelligence form the
neighbourhoods they serve is via the regular Have Your Say meetings held in
each BCU. These meetings are advertised in police leaflets and on the Force
website. The Commissioner attends a number of Have Your Say meetings
and her office assists in the promotion of these meetings to maximise public
attendance. These meetings serve as a valuable tool for collating
neighbourhood intelligence and provide an effective mechanism for reporting
back to the public the results of how the intelligence they share with the Force
is used to capture and convict criminals. An example of this work includes
police requests to the public around the inappropriate use of scrambler bikes
across Merseyside, which has seen the Force acting upon community
intelligence to help tackle this problem.
9.
Performance Monitoring Group
9.1
The Performance Monitoring Group provides the Commissioner with
reassurance around all Police and Crime Plan objectives (see appendix A for
data).
9.2
Most notably, year-end data linked to the neighbourhood policing objective
indicates a 31% increase in calls to Crimestoppers compared to the same
period the previous year. This resulted in more than 200 individuals being
arrested, charged or cautioned during 2013/14.
10.
Victims of Crime and Anti-social Behaviour
10.1
As highlighted within the Police and Crime Plan, where appropriate, victims
will be given the opportunity to have a say in determining how offenders
should make amends for their actions. Work to ensure victims’ voices are
heard is on-going with the introduction of the new anti-social behaviour
legislation. This new legislation, which comes into effect in October 2014,
places a duty on PCCs to create a Community Remedy document.
10.2
The Community Remedy will provide victims of anti-social behaviour and low
level crime with the opportunity to select from a list of appropriate
punishments for the perpetrator to undertake. Punishments must either be
punitive, rehabilitative, reparative or a combination of these factors.
10.3
Once in place, remedies will help ensure victims are heard and can have an
input in the punishment an offender faces when caught by the police. This
work will be overseen by the Deputy PCC Ann O’Byrne as part of her role as
victims’ champion.
11.
Conclusion
11.1 The PCC has identified providing a visible and accessible neighbourhood
policing style as one of her Police and Crime Plan objectives. Following a
review of how neighbourhood policing is delivered due to budget constraints,
progress to date has been encouraging and the Commissioner will continue to
hold the Chief Constable and Force to account via the Performance
Monitoring Group.
Jane Kennedy
Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside
Contact Officer: Eddie Smithwick, Policy & Research Manager, (0151) 777 5155
Neighbourhood Policing
Overall Victim Satisfaction with Service
Apr 13 - Feb 14
vs Target
vs Previous Year
12 Month Trend
SHORT TERM
87.3%
-1.5 pp
-1.4 pp
Decreasing 
Neighbourhood Policing
Community Intelligence
Early this year analysis identified a 31% increase in calls to Crimestoppers compared to the same period the
previous year. Over 90 individuals were arrested/charged or cautioned (12% increase on same period last
year).
There has been continued drive in terms of distribution of Crimestoppers literature at all Community
Meetings.
A mass letter drop, distributing 2000 letters to residential properties within the Stockbridge Village area
asking for any information residents may have to help reduce crime and disorder within their area
Polish Leaflets. Following a serious assault in the Southport area were a Polish male was attacked. PCC
made enquiries as to if we held Crimestoppers leaflets in Polish. Artwork was obtained and sent to the
Print Room HQ, leaflets printed and distributed within a 48 hour period.
MEDIUM TERM
Neighbourhood Policing
Public Confidence
Oct - Sep 13
vs Previous Year
12 Month Trend
62.9%
1.3 pp
Stable
iQuanta Bar Chart MSG
Merseyside
Police do a good or excellent job
Year ending 30 Sep 2013
MSG Average
MSG Average Confidence Interval
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
LONG TERM
South
Yorkshire
West
Midlands
West
Yorkshire
Cleveland
Merseyside
Greater
Manchester
0%
Northumbria
10%
Data is strictly for internal management information only.
Rank
1
2
3
Force
Northumbria
Greater Manchester
Merseyside
%
66.6%
63.4%
62.9%
Conf
Interval
5.0%
2.8%
4.1%
Range Low Range High
61.7%
60.6%
58.8%
71.6%
66.2%
67.0%
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