Monthly Column by Beds Police and Crime Commissioner John Tizard: The future of neighbourhood policing

When I meet residents, community leaders and councillors across the county, usually the first issue they raise is community policing. However, local policing is about more than community officers on the beat.

We must remember that every area of the county benefits from a range of police services in addition to local police teams. Wherever you live residents are entitled to excellent policing allocated on an equitable basis to meet need.

Local policing is about more than dealing with emergencies. It involves being proactive, problem solving, and intelligence gathering. It contributes to tackling serious crime. It is not a soft form of policing.

As resources permit and we can shift budgets, I will strengthen local policing in line with both my and the government’s mission for safer streets. This will be about more than additional officers.

We need structural and behavioural change so want to see local policing is based in, working with and responsive to local communities.

Local police teams should work in partnership with local authorities, town and parish councils, local authority community safety teams and community organisations. I will be establishing advisory groups to help shape local policing in local areas, and ever area will have a named police officer as their principal point of contact.

Local police teams must have visibility and know their communities, and communities know them.

Visibility can be achieved in many ways.

This week, I opened a new local policing hub in Bedford town centre. This is partnership with Bedford Borough Council.

However, we do not always need special premises for the public to meet the police. The police need to go to where people are and they need to interact in a variety of ways. Whilst the public want access above all they want and deserve reassurance.

Over the next few months, we will develop and implement a Local Policing Strategy to make our county safer.