13 Nov 2017
A challenge made to drive down crime, praise for improvements at the first point of contact and a call for robust future plans to improve policing services force-wide…
Just a few of the things discussed at this month’s Policing Accountability Board (PAB) - Dyfed-Powys Police & Crime Commissioner, Dafydd Llywelyn’s public forum to hold the force to account.
Held quarterly, the meeting is an opportunity for the Commissioner to question force performance; for honest conversation between him and the Chief Officer team and to discuss the progress of critical work.
At this meeting, Mr Llywelyn was keen to discuss increases in recorded crime, saying:
“Changes to recording practices within Dyfed-Powys Police since May this year have contributed to an increase in recorded crime, but the entire increase, albeit small in comparison to the national picture, cannot in its entirety be put down to changes to recording at the first point of contact.
“The increase in total crime has been driven largely by violence against the person and public order offences and, I am eager to seek reassurance that the force is proactively tackling the rise in such offences.”
He was also keen to see the force make the best use of his significant reinvestment in CCTV to target hot spots and drive reductions linked to disorder and violence.
There was praise for the work ongoing within the Force Contact Centre (FCC) – the place where all calls to Dyfed-Powys Police are handled and incidents are initially managed. The force has all but done away with performance fluctuations caused by the significant influx of summer visitors and, the Commissioner was also quick to recognise improvements in parity of service to those who call either 999 or 101 requesting a service through Welsh; an issue the Commissioner has pushed to rectify for some time.
The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 13th February at Dyfed-Powys Police Headquarters, when work will be well under way within the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner (OPCC) to consider the precept request for the next financial year (the money taken via the council tax settlement to support policing). Work to consult our communities on the level of precept begins in earnest, with the Commissioner already making a request of the force for robust business cases to evidence a need for further expenditure, but also to highlight efficiency gains and service improvement.
This public meeting was held at Pembrokeshire College on Friday 3rd Nov. If you’d like to attend future public Police Accountability Board meetings, keep an eye on our website http://www.dyfedpowys-pcc.org.uk/en/ and our social media channels Facebook and Twitter about how you can get involved.
ENDS
