Pledge beliefs will still stand

On August 10 members of the Bedfordshire Police Authority performance and planning committee discussed the implications of the decision to cancel the scheme by the new coalition government.

But the committee remained unanimous that the core views of the pledge should still be upheld within the force.

The committee, together with Chief Constable Gillian Parker and Assistant Chief Constable Kath Glover, felt that many of the ten strands of the pledge were just business as usual for the force.

They felt that many of the main points were already being met before the pledge came into force.

Therefore principles, including delivering a first class service, will continue as usual.

The committee also questioned the need to report on every separate aspect of the pledge and agreed that key areas still need to be monitored closely but in-line with the forces’s budget.

Martin Pantling, chair of the committee, said: “In Bedfordshire both the police authority and the force have long been committed to the provision of a high level of customer 
service and the abolition of the pledge will not detract from that aspiration.”

And Mr Pantling added that services should be tailored to the needs of individual communities.

He said: “We firmly believe that our services should be delivered in line with the 
expectations of individuals and the needs of different communities.

“The only question is whether reporting routinely against ten separate measures involves more resources than benefits justify.

“The public should continue to expect a first class police service, pledge or no pledge, and we will continue to monitor performance in key areas to ensure there are no 
unwelcome fluctuations.”

What should be Bedfordshire Police’s main priorities in your area? Do you feel like the police are doing a good job in your community? Email your views and ideas to [email protected]