POLICE chiefs say victims and witnesses get an improved service, including more dependable appointments and quicker investigations, under a new community model.
Inverclyde is one of the first areas to implement the new approach which draws clearer lines around the role of response officers, introduces a community investigations team plus additional community police officers across the country.
Areas already operating under the model report significant improvements in keeping local policing appointments, which were often cancelled when officers had to respond to emergencies.
There have been improvements on how quickly reports from the public about non-emergency incidents are assigned and progressed, while reducing pressure on response officers.
Although the new model makes better use of resources, community officers continue to be re-directed to support emergency response and to police events.
Chief Constable Jo Farrell said: “I want the public to have the best possible local policing, whether that’s the response to an emergency, reliable and timely support around non-emergencies, or identifiable and accessible officers who work with citizens and our partners to build cohesive and resilient communities which feel safe and experience less crime.
“The results so far are encouraging. Response officers are under less pressure and we’re progressing non-emergencies more reliably and in a way that enables local officers to listen to victims and witnesses.
“But community officers are still too often required to support emergency response and police events, drawing them away from the policing which strengthens community relations to solve shared problems, prevent crime and build cohesion and resilience.
“So, while this model makes the best use of the resources we have, I am asking government to support us to put an additional 350 officers into those crucial community teams over the coming years.”
The Policing For Our Communities local policing model was developed based on more than 1,000 interactions with officers, staff, members of the public, and key local partners, to understand where change was need in local policing.
The model uses richer demand data, including travel time around rural incidents, and how many people and how long different incidents need. This approach provides a clear and evidenced understanding of what resources are needed, and where and when it is needed. The new model is expected to be in place nationally by March 2027.
