Police & Crime Commissioner pfor Wiltshirec and Swindonc
Wiltshire and Swindon Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017
partnership, pro-activity, prevention Acknowledgments
The creation of my first Police and Crime Plan for Wiltshire and Swindon has been a truly collaborative effort and I would like to express my sincere thanks to the following in helping me to put it together: ►► the more than a hundred people who came to one of my community and voluntary sector workshops in January and February to discuss the plan’s key themes and put forward their ideas for new initiatives and action ►► Wiltshire and Swindon’s Community Area and Locality Boards, who engaged in such productive dialogue ►► my local authority, health, housing, police and criminal justice partners, whose Joint Strategic Assessments have been so pivotal in forming the foundations for this plan ►► Victim Support for keeping my eyes firmly focused on those whom the criminal justice system is there to support, as well as for facilitating my series of community and voluntary sector workshops ►► the Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police for contributing to and signing up to my ambitious change agenda ►► Matthew Bennion-Pedley, who took my manifesto and thoughts and translated them into the words and initiatives of this Police and Crime Plan and ►► Natalie Hobman, who transformed the text into the visually striking document it is now. Working with communities and partners to:
Reduce crime and anti-social behaviour
Protect the most vulnerable in society
Put victims and witnesses first
Reduce offending and re-offending
Drive up standards of customer service
Ensure unfailing and timely response to calls for assistance
Index
Welcome 6
At a glance 8
The contrasting roles of Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable 12
Partnership, pro-activity and prevention - The importance of communities 14
Working with communities to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour 16
Protecting the most vulnerable in society 21
Putting victims and witnesses first 25
Reducing offending and re-offending 31
Driving up standards of customer service 34
Ensuring unfailing and timely response to calls for assistance 38
Unlocking the resources to deliver 40
Wiltshire Police service level commitments for 2013-14 45
Delivering performance - holding the Chief Constable and other delivery agents to 46 account
Our future in our hands - come and get involved 47
Appendices
Appendix A: Key statistics - population, performance and workforce 48
Appendix B: Finance in the new structure 49
Appendix C: Manifesto commitments and my pledges to you 54
Appendix D: The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner 55
Appendix E: Glossary 56
Appendix F: How to make contact 62 Welcome
Welcome to the first ever Police and Crime Plan for Wiltshire and Swindon. As your newly elected Police and Crime Commissioner (Commissioner or PCC), I have the honour of representing the diverse communities of this beautiful and dynamic county. You will probably already know that Wiltshire and Swindon are amongst the safest places in the country and my thanks go to you, our communities, our partner agencies, our police force and my predecessor police authority for making it so. It is my job as PCC not only to ensure that we remain The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee visit to Salisbury as one of the safest counties but also to work with you in commissioning services to help make You will see from page three that I have six communities overarching priorities for my term of office and stronger and that I intend to achieve every single one of them life even by working closely with communities and partner safer for agencies. These priorities are captured in three everyone overarching themes: partnership, pro-activity and who lives prevention. and works Last summer was here. predicted to be one of the most challenging ever witnessed by Wiltshire Police as the county partied its way from one major event to another: Swindon Town Football Club’s promotion to League one, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Olympic Torch Relay, the Olympics
Summer Solstice at Stonehenge
6 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 themselves and the plethora the next four years, of festivals hosted in the illustrate how I see county each year. And yet services operating in we had less disorder and the future and detail a fewer arrests in the county number of key initiatives than in previous years. Now I will be sponsoring obviously I pay tribute to during my term in office the county’s police force for and setting in motion by the sensitive way in which the end of March 2014. it policed all these events, but the major reason for Overall though, I am such a quiet summer in looking to engage as many people as possible in a policing terms was our debate so that future plans will be shaped as much wonderful community spirit. by you as they are by me. I invite you all to join me Communities organising on this exciting journey. events themselves creating an optimism and a sense of belonging that to a The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee visit to Salisbury large extent maintained its own law and order. Sir Robert Peel, founder of the British policing system, famously said in 1829: “The public are the police Angus Macpherson and the police are the public”. That statement is as Police and Crime Commissioner true today as it was when he said it. Without public for Wiltshire and Swindon support policing just does not work in a democratic society. What this plan is Onlookers celebrate the arrival of the Olympic Torch in Chippenham therefore all about is leveraging your support and your commitment to making Wiltshire and Swindon an even safer place and ensuring that I commission the types of services from the police force, partner agencies and the voluntary and community sector that help us do so. In this plan I will set out the broad direction in which I intend to take policing Summer Solstice at Stonehenge and crime over 2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 7 At a glance
Priority Broad objectives Key initiatives
Reducing ■■ Communities playing a pivotal role 1. Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner crime and in policing and crime issues through (OPCC) attendance at all Wiltshire Community anti-social greater levels of ownership and Area Boards and Swindon Localities at least behaviour volunteering twice a year ■■ Focus to be on partnership, pro-activity 2. Progressive community ownership of police and prevention and crime-related community budgets ■■ Appropriate community and victim- 3. Royal Society of Arts engagement with local focused restorative justice outcomes authority partners on community building to become the norm for less serious 4. Multi-agency redesign of services to tackle offences anti-social behaviour and creation of Safer ■■ A 10 per cent reduction in the absolute Community Teams number of crimes and anti-social 5. Appropriate community and victim-focused behaviour incidents restorative justice outcomes to be used in at ■■ At least 95 per cent of the population least half of detected offences reporting that they feel safe during the 6. Neighbourhood, Farm and other community day and at least 85 per cent at night ‘watch’ schemes to become fundamental to intelligence gathering and crime prevention in at least 80% of communities 7. Expansion of community and rural policing Special Constable numbers and launch of Police Cadet scheme 8. Every household to be visited by its Safer Community Team at least once every 18 months 9. Expansion of regional protective services capability through greater sharing of specialist resources
Protecting ■■ To raise awareness of vulnerability 1. Extension of ‘Good Neighbour’ and ‘Safe the most within communities Place’ schemes vulnerable in ■■ To improve information on support 2. Joint commissioning with partners of society services available to vulnerable people comprehensive ‘Services / Support Directory’ ■■ Focus to be on partnership, pro-activity for vulnerable people and prevention, ensuring that cases do 3. Introduction of Wiltshire Police Customer not fall between gaps in provision Relationship Management system ■■ Reducing likelihood of harm by tackling 4. Feasibility study into multi-agency 101 as well the most serious causers of harm as 999 service ■■ Vulnerable people and their advocates 5. Intelligence-led patrolling to be the norm and to be more involved in shaping their focused towards vulnerable people and places support 6. Creation of multi-agency public protection teams 7. Cross-fertilisation of current successful Wiltshire and Swindon initiatives such as Anti-Social Behaviour Risk Assessment Conferences and Advocacy Schemes
8 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Priority Broad objectives Key initiatives
Putting ■■ To give victims a clearer picture of how 1. Creation of a ‘Victim Pathway’ tool victims and to access the criminal justice system 2. Establishment of a quarterly Victim Forum and witnesses ■■ To involve victims much more in Victim Panels to help shape future service first designing services around their needs delivery ■■ To keep victims and witnesses much 3. Publication of minimum standards of better informed throughout the criminal information to be provided to victims and justice process witnesses ■■ To make criminal justice processes 4. Promotion of the government’s ‘Swift and Sure shorter and more victim and witness- Justice’ reforms in respect of minimising delays focused and enabling victims and witnesses to give ■■ To empower victims through the use of evidence via video links restorative justice 5. Giving victims the option of restorative justice ■■ To offer victims and witnesses greater where appropriate and wanted levels of support 6. Commissioning of additional independent victim-focused services
Reducing ■■ Early intervention with troubled families 1. Promote and seek to commission multi-agency offending and and education in schools early intervention with troubled families re-offending ■■ Effective safeguarding through the 2. Promotion of school-related life education criminal justice system for the minority initiatives and youth offending preventative who need this approach but much services more re-education and rehabilitation 3. Extension of the current Integrated Offender for the majority who do not Management SWITCH programme to all ■■ To place a greater emphasis upon eligible offence types restorative justice outcomes 4. Expansion of the Neighbourhood Justice Panel ■■ To reduce the harm caused by initiative throughout Wiltshire and Swindon organised crime groups and dangerous 5. Expansion of regional protective services drugs networks by 25 per cent capability through greater sharing of specialist ■■ To reduce the harm caused by resources irresponsible licensed premises 6. Joint approach with local authorities to ■■ To offer real alternatives to offenders encourage responsible licensed premises who want to break their cycle of re- coupled with a firmer crackdown on offending irresponsible ones 7. Promotion of prison gate advocacy schemes 8. Promotion of the government’s criminal justice reforms incorporating Criminal Behaviour Orders, Crime Prevention Injunctions, Community Protection Orders and Community Triggers 9. Commissioning of more rehabilitation and treatment services such as Hampshire’s domestic violence re-education programme
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 9 At a glance
Priority Broad objectives Key initiatives
Driving up ■■ Consistent achievement of telephone 1. Systems Thinking reviews of all customer- standards call answering service standards facing services of customer ■■ Top quartile performance for customer 2. Creation of Customer and Victims’ Charters service complaints 3. Introduction of Wiltshire Police Customer ■■ Ninety five per cent of customers rating Relationship Management system commissioned services as ‘good’, ‘very 4. Investment in online and other digital good’ or ‘excellent’ communication channels ■■ Streamlined and faster criminal justice 5. Opportunity for customers to complete and transactional services electronic customer feedback surveys to ■■ Data quality to be right first time in at become routine after each interaction least 99 per cent of cases 6. Promotion of the government’s criminal justice reforms in respect of streamlining processes and making them more victim and witness friendly
Ensuring ■■ Consistent achievement of target 1. Commissioning of next generation mobile unfailing response times information and resource mapping solution to and timely ■■ Ability to meet national and strategic maximise productivity and time out of station response policing requirements for frontline officers to calls for ■■ Maintenance of necessary major and 2. Expansion of regional protective services assistance serious and organised crime capacity capability through greater sharing of specialist and capability resources including formation of regional specialist operations unit
10 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Priority Broad objectives Key initiatives
Unlocking the ■■ Elimination of process waste and 1. Multi-Agency Systems Thinking reviews of resources to duplication complete service offerings to eliminate waste deliver ■■ Greater investment in preventative and duplication services 2. Expansion of eCommerce digital channels ■■ Move to more cost-effective service 3. Evidence-based policing to become the norm channels, often online 4. Consolidation of Wiltshire Police change ■■ Stimulating communities to help programme with those of our two local themselves more by encouraging authorities volunteering and pump-priming 5. Consolidation of appropriate support functions appropriate initiatives with our two local authority partners, e.g. ■■ At least 95 per cent police officer Business Strategy & Improvement, ICT, HR visibility / time out of station, greater and Finance single working and more time on foot 6. Commitment to Wiltshire Council campus and to maximise engagement with the Swindon locality programme to rationalise public estate 7. Investment in next generation of mobile information capability 8. Reduction in criminal justice file-building capacity to mirror shift towards community restorative justice and rehabilitation services 9. Creation of a one-off £1 million innovation fund to pump-prime community and voluntary sector crime reduction and offender rehabilitation initiatives
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 11 The contrasting roles of Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable
The role of Police and Crime Commissioner (the Commissioner) is a new one, created by the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. The role replaces the previous system of police authorities. Some of the responsibilities formerly held by Wiltshire Police Authority have passed to me as Commissioner. For example ensuring the provision of an efficient and effective police force for Wiltshire and Swindon, but others are new. The fundamental change is that this is a commissioning role, as illustrated by both my title and the diagram below. It isn’t about delivering services directly. Most policing services will continue to be provided by the police force under the leadership of a Chief Constable. Local authority services will continue to be provided by those organisations or by others on their behalf. Chief Constable Patrick Geenty (left) and Commissioner Angus Macpherson My job as Commissioner is to understand the needs of the public in relation to crime and disorder and I will be commissioning services from various to commission services to address these needs sources, Wiltshire Police obviously being a key one. for a specific price, to a specific standard and with For some services though it may make more sense measurable outcomes, as depicted in the diagram to commission them from other police forces, our below. two local authorities, the community and voluntary sector and, in some cases, the private sector. My role is to set objectives, define outcomes, provide funds from the budget and monitor the performance of all providers on your behalf as members of the public. Many Commissioners across the country are looking to establish significant teams to undertake this commissioning role. My intention is quite the reverse. My desire is to maintain as lean a commissioning office as possible, drawing upon analytical work undertaken by other agencies where it already exists, and working with established groups, such as Wiltshire Community Area Boards and Swindon Localities, to scope and specify the
12 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 The contrasting roles of Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable
subject to external scrutiny, retains operational independence. I am not permitted to tell him or her who to arrest, how to police a festival or how to provide armed response – and nor would I wish to. These are professional matters, which are informed by the Chief Constable’s professional training under the guidance of the College of Policing. When I was elected, Wiltshire Police had an Acting Chief Constable. Following a rigorous selection process, in which I was assisted by the leaders of our two local authorities and a representative from the community and voluntary sector, I have now appointed a substantive Chief Constable Patrick Geenty. His principal task is to provide excellent policing services to Wiltshire and Swindon, reflecting my agenda.
I am, however, responsible for setting the style of policing to be delivered. Taking community policing as an example, it is for me to determine, in consultation with communities, whether Chief Constable Patrick Geenty (left) and Commissioner Angus Macpherson policing resources should stand types of services that will alone or be really make a difference. integrated In addition I want to tap with the the creative potential of resources the broader community of other by encouraging groups to Commissioner Angus Macpherson pictured at Unity House in public sector come forward and, where Chippenham talking to manager Ben Anderson and a resident. Unity agencies. there are currently gaps, House provides accommodation and support for homeless people with propose new services and complex needs in Wiltshire. I also have share services where they an important can be provided more effectively. More information scrutiny role. The Chief Constable initially handles about how to do this can be found in the chapter complaints against the police force through his ‘Our future in our hands – come and get involved’ Professional Standards Department. However both I and I encourage you to come forward with your new and the Independent Police Complaints Commission ideas. have an important secondary investigation and scrutiny role. As set out in the chapter on ‘Driving is to deliver the The role of the Chief Constable up standards of customer service’, I will be taking a services I commission from him or her. He or she close interest in how complaints are handled and I is the professional policing expert and commands am appointing an independent person to progress all the resources that provide ‘warranted power’ this agenda on my behalf. policing services within the county. He or she,
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 13 Partnership, pro-activity and prevention - the importance of communities
In my ‘Welcome’ to this plan, I Strong community and partnership emphasised the importance of foundations community spirit in maintaining such “There is something very special impressive levels of law and order during the busy summer of 2012. about Wiltshire and Swindon. In Wiltshire, for example, 109,200 people regularly volunteer, My philosophy behind much of contributing on average three hours this plan is therefore to: every week. In monetary terms, ■■ Put communities themselves in the calculated at minimum wage levels, driving seat in determining the best way to support their policing and that equates to at least £79 million crime aspirations per annum of voluntary effort. Extrapolating that to Swindon as ■■ Encourage and foster greater levels of volunteering in the police and well, we have more volunteering crime arena effort across the county each year
■■ Place much greater emphasis upon than the entire Wiltshire Police pro-activity and prevention of crime budget.” rather than merely relying upon sanction and detection after the event The importance of voluntary and community effort to our overall health and wellbeing is huge. ■■ Work with partners and communities Whether this is through people helping out with to commission services that will make running sports clubs, supporting the vulnerable in our society, raising money for charities, working for a positive and enduring impact upon Victim Support, being a Special Constable, being levels of crime and disorder a retained firefighter or participating in community safety schemes like Neighbourhood Watch, Street ■■ Ensure that, where crime and disorder Watch or Community Speed Watch. Examples occurs, the perpetrators receive swift, of these significant contributions will burst out of sure and appropriate justice, wherever the pages of this plan, especially in the sections possible providing reparation to the on ‘Reducing crime and anti-social behaviour’, community or individual harmed and, ‘Protecting the most vulnerable in society’, ‘Putting just as importantly, are supported to victims and witnesses first’ and ‘Reducing offending break their pattern of offending into and re-offending’. I cannot thank our volunteers the future. enough for all that they do for us. I also pay great tribute to the statutory agencies that have taken a lead in fostering this community
14 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Partnership, pro-activity and prevention - the importance of communities
cohesion. My links with them during my term of office will be particularly strong. As an additional standard, it is my intention to become a signatory to both the Wiltshire and the Swindon Compacts. In Swindon we have seven vibrant localities, each with a Locality Lead. In Wiltshire we have 18 community areas, 16 of which already have a multi-agency forum working with primary schools to address concerns about vulnerable young children, and all of which contribute i. That communities will usually have a far better to a ‘Resilient Communities Partnership’. In both idea of what would enhance their quality of life localities (Swindon) and community areas (Wiltshire) than external support providers we have strong involvement from the appropriate ii. That if communities have been pivotal in local authority, the NHS, the police, the Fire and designing solutions for themselves, they will have Rescue Service and our housing associations, all of much greater buy-in to them and be more active which have a vital role to play. But what encourages in supporting them me most about these community bodies is the level iii. Communities are made up of individuals with a of confidence they foster within their communities. vast array of talents. Understanding these talents In the most recent ‘What Matters Survey’ in and leveraging them for the benefit of the wider Wiltshire, an average of 41 per cent of respondents community is hugely powerful agreed that they feel able to influence decisions that iv. The vast majority of people want to make an affect their local area. In some community areas the active and positive contribution to society. The percentage was as high as 54 per cent. There is of secret is helping everybody to do so. course still some way to go before all respondents feel able to influence decisions, but it provides a I will expand upon these themes in each of the strong foundation upon which to build. subsequent chapters of this plan. At the end of each chapter I will also set out a number of key initiatives Asset Based Community Development I will be commissioning and the actions I will be (ABCD) taking to advance the theme of that chapter. Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) is I must emphasise however that these will only all about looking for solutions rather than problems be the start of a journey and in many cases the and expecting to find them within communities initiatives I illustrate will merely explain the “what” themselves. It’s the ‘glass half full’ rather than ‘glass and “why” rather than the “when”, “where” or half empty’ mentality. It considers local assets “how”. This is because integral to the concept of to be the primary building blocks of sustainable ABCD is a recognition that communities need to be community development. involved in the shaping of their own solutions and it would be arrogant of me to try to impose a solution But what does this mean in practice? In my view through this plan, without the opportunity to engage it means a number of things: communities and supporting partner agencies first. 2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 15 Key facts: Working with communities to ■■ The county of Wiltshire is one of the safest places in England reduce crime and anti-social and Wales with 36,046 crimes recorded between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2012 (down 3.9% behaviour on the previous year)
■■ Recorded anti-social Communities regularly tell me that they really value behaviour incidents reduced their neighbourhood policing teams but get frustrated by 22% between April – August by frequent changes in personnel, personnel being 2012 compared to the equivalent period in 2011 and totalled 26,355 taken off for other duties and, on some occasions, a for the 12 months ending on 31 lack of co-ordination with other agencies. December 2012 My vision of the future is one where in my opening to this plan, these ■■ 25% of people in Wiltshire say community policing resources are only the start of a journey. This that they have been victims of become an integral part of broader is because integral to the concept anti-social behaviour in the last community problem-solving and of ABCD is a recognition that 12 months support teams (Safer Community communities need to be central to ■■ Over 95% of people in Teams), working with communities the shaping of their own solutions. Wiltshire and Swindon feel safe to address the issues that most Much of my time in office will during the day and 80% feel safe affect them. Across Wiltshire and therefore be spent engaging with at night Swindon there are 18 community communities to help me commission areas and seven localities, each with services that will really make a ■■ 8.9% of Wiltshire’s population its own Community Area or Locality difference to them. give up at least one hour every Board. They already play a pivotal week to help run sports clubs role in the shaping of local authority services and I want to see them The issues concerning ■■ 109,200 people regularly playing an equally pivotal role in the communities the most are: volunteer in Wiltshire contributing shaping of local policing services. over £79 million each year in In both my ‘Welcome’ to this plan ■■ Lack of facilities for young voluntary effort and the chapter on ‘partnership, people (56%) ■■ On average 41% of the pro-activity and prevention’, I speak ■■ Unemployment (34%) county’s population believe they of the importance of communities and the huge contribution made by can influence local decisions ■■ Anti-social behaviour (33%) affecting their community and in volunteers throughout the county. I some communities this figure is also introduce the concept of Asset ■■ Drug misuse (30%) as high as 54% Based Community Development (ABCD), which is already paying ■■ Crime (28%) ■■ The county’s retirement age significant dividends in places like population is growing every year Penhill in Swindon. These are the ■■ Young people hanging around and by 2026 will account for 30% foundations upon which I will build (16%) during my term of office. of the county’s population Source: ■■ 30% of the county’s At the end of this chapter I set MEL Survey Autumn 2012 unemployed are aged 18-24. out some of the initiatives I will be commissioning during my term in office. However, as I emphasise
16 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Partnership, pro-activity and the regional specialist operational But even combating external threats prevention services arena and will be a requires local intelligence, garnered keen supporter of future regional from supportive local communities. Continuing the theme of ‘Partnership, initiatives, where they can help to The following two case studies pro-activity and prevention’, I am keep harm away from Wiltshire and illustrate how powerful this support convinced that the solutions to many Swindon’s doorstep. and partnership can be. community safety issues lie within communities themselves. If, for example, communities can provide more facilities and opportunities for Case study 1: young and unemployed people and Multi-agency working and community engagement can engage them more in community The Safer Sutton Partnership in the London Borough of Sutton is development, we are likely to see having a real impact upon levels of crime and anti-social behaviour. a marked reduction in many of the Council, police, health and other public agencies have agreed 27 issues and perceptions illustrated important areas of work with their own ‘Priority Indicators’ to improve above. If we have active engagement the Borough as a place to live, work and enjoy. The Service has four in schemes such as Neighbourhood main ‘Priority Indicators’. These are to: Watch, Street Watch, Farm Watch and Community Speed Watch, it ■■ Reduce serious violent crime sends out a clear message that the community cares enough to do ■■ Reduce serious acquisitive crime (where criminals ‘acquire’ items something about its own safety and by committing burglary, theft and shoplifting etc.) acts as a strong deterrent to anybody ■■ Reduce repeat incidents of domestic abuse contemplating anti-social or criminal behaviour. And if we can back this up ■■ Address concerns about anti-social behaviour and crime. with firm and co-ordinated action and A key element of this initiative is police officers working alongside make sure that, wherever possible, council staff in the same building, as they now are in Monkton Park sanctions are of a restorative and in Chippenham and in time will be doing right across Wiltshire and rehabilitative nature, we can ensure Swindon. that offenders begin to appreciate the harm they cause and make The results have been very encouraging, with Sutton now one of the appropriate reparation. lowest crime Boroughs in London. Key to their success is the level of community engagement achieved, as highlighted by a 2012 Cardiff At the same time we need to be able University study titled ‘Can we speak in confidence? Community to tackle threats to our communities intelligence and neighbourhood policing’. Informed by empirical data effectively and with determination. collected in four sweeps between 2007 and 2010, this study examined Over 30 per cent of acquisitive crime, the impact of a community engagement methodology encouraging such as theft and robbery, is directly citizens to articulate their local security needs to Neighbourhood linked to drug misuse, often the Policing teams. The research showed that by acting on this community result of dangerous drugs networks intelligence police were able to ‘tune’ their interventions towards and serious and organised crime. those problems generating most social harm. In so doing, the data In 2010 the five South West police suggested that the police were able to improve public confidence and forces established Zephyr, which is increase overall community well-being. our regional serious and organised crime capability. With sophisticated Similarly, Police Community Support Officers in South Wales were surveillance, tasking and asset asked to talk to people in their communities specifically about the recovery capability, Zephyr has impact of organised crime. The intelligence gleaned was very powerful already made a significant impact and enabled the police force to make a number of arrests and disrupt upon organised crime groups, not organised crime activity as a result. only in Wiltshire but across the entire South West. I see further scope for consolidation and enhancement in
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 17 Case study 2: Rural crime and Special Constables (Countryfile BBC One 13 January 2013) Rural crime has seen a general increase over the last few years, with specific increases in the theft of farm equipment, equestrian equipment or poaching. Hertfordshire Constabulary has responded to this by encouraging the creation of rural Special Constables, who provide a minimum of 16 hours of voluntary effort per month, liaising with rural communities, giving security advice and targeting people suspected of committing such rural crimes. My objectives and Swindon population regularly taking part in Neighbourhood Taking all of the above into Watch, Street Watch, Farm consideration, my objectives during Watch, Community Speed Watch my term of office are as follows: and other such ‘Watch’ schemes 1. To see all Wiltshire Community 6. To have a minimum of 300 active Area Boards and Swindon Special Constables across Localities adopting an Asset Based Community Development Wiltshire and Swindon, each approach and playing a attached to communities and significant role in enhancing contributing an average of at community safety within their least 16 hours per month areas through initiatives such 7. To consistently achieve over 95 as Neighbourhood Watch, Street Watch, Farm Watch, per cent of people feeling safe in Community Speed Watch and their communities during the day Neighbourhood Justice Panels and over 85 per cent feeling safe in their communities at night 2. To see public agencies work much more cohesively so that 8. To reduce the percentage of members of the public can obtain people thinking that young help in finding solutions to their people hanging around is a key issues without having to contact issue to less than 10 per cent different agencies separately 9. To see the harm caused 3. To see community restorative by organised crime groups justice solutions become the operating in the county reduce by norm in all appropriate cases at least 25 per cent compared to throughout the county its 2012 level 4. To make Neighbourhood, Farm 10. To see the number of reported and other community ‘Watch’ crimes reduce to less than schemes fundamental to intelligence gathering and crime 32,000 per annum prevention in at least 80 per 11. To see the percentage of cent of Wiltshire and Swindon people saying that they communities have experienced anti-social 5. To achieve community safety behaviour in the previous 12 volunteering numbers equivalent months reduce to less than 20 to one per cent of the Wiltshire per cent. 18 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Initiatives that are already making a difference include: There are a number of initiatives that people for young people and Wiltshire and Swindon, which are are already making a real difference provide help and guidance to helping families with particularly and I am keen to see these and those who need it, as well as challenging circumstances turn other associated initiatives flourish: advertising events and other their lives around activities for young people ■■ The growing number of ■■ Neighbourhood Justice Panels, Community Speed, Street and ■■ The Wiltshire Council and which, through the use of Farm Watch schemes now Employment and Skills community volunteers acting active across the county Board initiative, which is on as facilitators, are bringing target to create 1,000 more offenders and victims together ■■ Projects such as Inspire, a apprenticeships by July 2013 and getting offenders to Youth Action Wiltshire and agree Anti-Social Behaviour ■■ The Job Centre Plus work Community First initiative that Contracts. These contracts experience initiative, which has recently been extended provide a sustainable solution has enabled 51 per cent of the to provide an additional 62 for both the victim and offender education, employment and unemployed taking part to find training opportunities for 13 - 17 paid employment within 12 ■■ The emergence of a joint year olds weeks Wiltshire and Swindon Anti- Social Behaviour Reduction ■■ The Troubled Families Projects in ■■ Projects such as Achieve, Strategy which is training previously unemployed people as assessors, who are then being employed to conduct home visits, helping householders to reduce their energy bills ■■ Projects such as Positive Futures, which is working with young people in the Penhill and Pinehurst areas of Swindon to improve their engagement with broader society and provide a variety of recreational and development opportunities ■■ The Spark website and Spark Radio, which are run by young The Spark website
Key new initiatives to help deliver my objectives: 1. I, or a member of my office, will and Swindon Locality at least I will also ask this review to meet representatives of every twice a year in order to keep consider whether the creation of Wiltshire Community Area Board community safety high on local multi-agency Safer Community agendas and work with them to Teams would be beneficial and commission services that help to explore the greater use of civil, them deliver their community as opposed to criminal, penalties safety strategies as allowed in the government’s forthcoming Bill on anti-social 2. I will commission a multi-agency behaviour ‘Systems Thinking Review’ of anti-social behaviour to report by 3. I will work with our two local the end of December 2013. This authorities and Community Area will be designed to understand Boards and Localities to explore the most common forms of anti- the introduction of community social behaviour, map demand, budgets and how this might identify duplications between advance the prevention of crime different agencies and, from a and disorder customer perspective, redesign services so that they provide 4. I will be joining my local customers with the help and authority partners in a three- support they need in as quick year engagement with the and efficient way as possible. Royal Society of Arts to work 2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 19 on reassurance, re-education and enforcement where necessary 9. I will work with Wiltshire Police to support the establishment and growth of the Police Cadet Scheme and for this to be closely linked to other community crime prevention initiatives. In the first instance this will see 20 young people, aged between 14 and 16, being recruited in Swindon to take part in policing activities with the scheme motto being: “To reduce youth vulnerability to crime and social exclusion through enhancing young peoples’ ability to contribute and achieve” 10. I will work with our two local authorities and Community Using social media to raise the profile of ‘good news’ stories Area Boards and Localities to encourage the creation of further facilities and opportunities for with communities on initiatives area. It will also give them the young people such as community building, tools they need to feed regular campuses, volunteering and intelligence to crime prevention 11. I will encourage partners, integrated service delivery partners. This is a priority for Community Areas and Localities to consider the creation of more 5. I will work with our two local me and I will be commissioning inter-generational schemes to authorities, Wiltshire Police, the this piece of work to start in April help break down some of the judiciary and Community Area 2013 barriers and misunderstandings Boards / Localities to ensure that, 7. I will promote the expansion between different generations where appropriate for victims, of schemes such as Street restorative justice sanctions Watch, Farm Watch, Horse 12. I will press for an expansion become the default for offences Watch and Community Speed of regional protective services suited to restorative justice. I Watch (backed by appropriate capability, in order to maximise will work to see that both victims speed limits, engineering and the synergies between forces and communities are involved in enforcement) in my discussions and reduce duplication, but with this process through initiatives with Community Area Boards and clear governance arrangements such as Neighbourhood Justice Localities and will make set-up and accountability to local Panels, which are already funding available to get these Commissioners operating successfully in schemes off the ground 13. I will establish a £1 million Swindon. My aim is to ‘innovation’ fund to pump-prime have this approach in community initiatives that help place across Wiltshire and me advance the objectives set Swindon by the end of out in this plan and will invite bids December 2013 in due course 6. I will invest in 14. I will use social media and work Neighbourhood Watch and with partners and the local media other ‘Watch’ schemes by to highlight good news stories appointing a co-ordination from across our communities and team, in conjunction with share good ideas my local authority partners, 15. I will review the value, coverage, Community Speed Watch scheme whose job will be to coordination and utilisation of reinvigorate this essential CCTV assets across the county part of crime prevention. I 8. I will work with our two local will also be investing in an authorities, Community Area 16. I will commission a local policing appropriate technology platform, Boards, Localities and Wiltshire service from the Chief Constable which will allow Neighbourhood Police to encourage more people that will result every household in Watch co-ordinators across to become Special Constables, the county receiving at least one the county to be kept regularly with a focus on local recruitment visit from their Safer Community and automatically appraised in communities for the benefit of Team in any 18 month period. of incidents and trends in their communities and an emphasis 20 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Key facts: Protecting the most vulnerable ■■ The population of Wiltshire and Swindon is ageing – the in society number of people aged 85 or over is set to increase by 70% over the next 13 years One of the hallmarks of a civilised society is that it ■■ 1 in 4 people in the UK suffer protects the vulnerable within its midst and this will from a mental health issue in any be one of my six top priorities during my term in given year office. ■■ It is estimated that 16,000 women aged 16-59 in Wiltshire There are many in society who experience domestic violence could be deemed vulnerable and each year and that domestic their numbers will inevitably grow as violence is 3.5 times more likely people live longer and as increased in a relationship where there is financial strain resulting from the state financial strain of the global economy takes its toll.
■■ There are 314 children in Wiltshire and Swindon subject Definition of vulnerability in to a Child Protection Plan, 655 the context of this Plan: in local authority care and over 5,000 receiving some form of “People who are susceptible to social care support becoming victims of crime or anti-social behaviour because ■■ The number of young people of their particular situation. aged between 18 and 24 who are This could be for a number unemployed is growing. 30.3% of of reasons including age, Wiltshire’s unemployed fall within disability, race, religion, sexual this age bracket orientation, relationships, financial situation, offending ■■ 355 people were accepted history or lack of fixed abode by Wiltshire Council as being etc.” homeless during 2011-12, both her community and statutory compared to 240 the previous agencies, including the police, had year failed to stop the abuse. Similarly ■■ 17% of respondents to a Vulnerable people fall victim to there was Gemma Hayter murdered survey in central Swindon feel anti-social and criminal behaviour in August 2010 by her so-called that racial intolerance is an issue much more easily than others and friends in Warwickshire. Sadly, are usually less able to protect victimisation of the more vulnerable ■■ There were 47,229 hate themselves. Few need to be in our society is all too common crimes reported in England and reminded of the case of Fiona but this kind of behaviour is simply Wales during 2010. Pilkington, who in 2007 took her unacceptable. Stamping out this own life and that of her disabled behaviour and eradicating such 18 year old daughter Francecca prejudices will require a team effort Hardwick in Leicestershire. They with communities standing up for had suffered years of physical and their more vulnerable members and verbal abuse from young people statutory agencies taking robust in and around their home and yet action against the perpetrators.
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 21 My objectives in this area are: 1. To see the creation of a directory of services so that people who feel vulnerable know where they can access support 2. To raise the awareness of vulnerability within the county so that communities and partner agencies have the information and confidence needed to identify those who are vulnerable and offer appropriate support 3. To reduce the likelihood of people’s needs falling down the gaps between different agencies’ provision by encouraging greater partnership working and Initiatives that are already publicising the dangers of ‘legal information sharing making a difference in this highs’, which are thought to have claimed at least eight 4. To encourage communities and area include: public agencies to be proactive young lives over the last year in recognising and supporting ■■ Multi-Agency Safeguarding ■■ The Swindon and Wiltshire people’s vulnerabilities Hubs, where intelligence about Integrated Targets for Change vulnerable people is shared 5. To reduce the likelihood of (SWITCH) programme that between agencies harm to vulnerable people by is working with 263 identified tackling the most serious harm ■■ Multi-Agency risk assessment high-end harm causers to try to causers within communities conferences where different break their cycles of offending 6. To enable vulnerable people agencies agree shared support ■■ The 16 Multi-Agency Forums and their advocates to be and interventions to keep attached to Community Area more involved in shaping and people safe – there have been Boards in Wiltshire that are agreeing the support they 270 of these in Swindon over working with primary school receive and any sanctions the last 12 months that are handed out to the concerns about vulnerable perpetrators of offences ■■ Anti-Social Behaviour Risk children against them Assessment Conferences ■■ Wiltshire Council’s innovative where different agencies 7. To help those who are ‘Bridging Projects’, which are agree shared support and vulnerable to offending and allowing more young people interventions to combat anti- reoffending receive the support with disabilities to take part in social behaviour. These they need to break that cycle youth activities (see chapter on offending and currently operate in Wiltshire re-offending). and focus upon both the victim ■■ Wiltshire Council working with and offender the military to use military land to provide affordable housing ■■ Swindon’s Anti-Social for ex-service personnel Behaviour Advocacy Service ■■ The work of the Bobby Van ■■ Wiltshire’s hidden harm strategy Trust, which gives security which targets those that could advice and often fits additional be badly affected by chaotic security measures at the homes and often dysfunctional lives. 51 of the most vulnerable in our per cent of people undergoing communities drug treatment and 57 per cent of those undergoing alcohol ■■ The introduction of Domestic treatment, for example, are Violence Protection Notices and parents Orders, which allow offenders to be barred from going near their ■■ The work recently done in victims for a period of up to 28 Swindon in identifying and
22 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 days, thereby giving the victim time to make choices about Key new initiatives to help deliver my objectives: their future in relative safety 1. I will commission the ■■ The introduction of the introduction of a Customer Domestic Violence Disclosure Relationship Management Scheme (Clare’s Law), which system for Wiltshire Police, allows the police to advise so that it is easier to identify people about the domestic patterns of calls for assistance abuse history of their new and identify those who are partners most vulnerable. However I ■■ The introduction of Wiltshire do not want this to be another Police’s new hate crime policy silo system. Instead I want this to help people who feel they to be leveraged from either are the victims of crime and or preferably both of our local anti-social behaviour because authorities (Wiltshire Council of their race, faith, disability, and Swindon Borough Good customer service is important sexual orientation or gender Council) and for us to be able to create one consolidated identity. would make maintenance picture of what our customers of a consolidated Customer are contacting us about. This Relationship Management will be a complicated piece of system much easier. Again work but I would like to see this is a complicated piece of this implemented by the end of work but I think that we have a March 2014 at the latest realistic chance of seeing this 2. I will seek to jointly commission. come to fruition by the end of with key local authority partners March 2015 a Systems Thinking review 3. I want to see intelligence-led into 24/7 telephony and other patrolling become the norm access channels, including within Wiltshire Police, so that the development of costed every minute of patrol time proposals for a single joined which is not needed for reactive up service covering our two duties, is used to target support local authorities. A multi-agency and reassurance to vulnerable 101 (non-emergency) service people, communities and was developed in 2006 but hotspots. I will therefore make did not progress due to the funding available to ensure withdrawal of government that such information is readily funding. However this kind available to all officers who of service works well in other need it and will commission parts of the country including it as an integral part of the Cardiff and Hampshire. I next generation of mobile believe that it is time to revisit information solutions to be this aspiration, which of course deployed within the Force. Protecting vulnerable children
And, of course, I must also mention the excellent work that goes on, often behind the scenes, in tackling issues such as child sexual exploitation, serious and organised crime and dangerous drugs networks.
But there is no room for complacency in this high risk area. I have therefore identified a number of key initiatives that I believe will make a significant difference to this area of our business and will be commissioning them during my term of office. The next generation of mobile information to aid intelligence-led patrolling
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 23 agencies to try to ensure that it is not needed 7. I would like to see Localities and Community Areas taking an active involvement in tackling issues that impact the vulnerable and working with public sector and other agencies to address them 8. I will commission jointly with my local authority partners the creation and regular maintenance of a ‘Services / Support Directory’, which will map out the range of services available to people who are feeling vulnerable and how they can be accessed 9. I will look to use existing communication channels and encourage sharing of information with other organisation’s as a means to keep people informed of issues that might affect them 4. I will encourage the cross- Wiltshire Police, our two local 10. I will encourage and pump- fertilisation and adoption of authorities, the NHS, the Fire prime the extension of ‘Good many of our existing initiatives and Rescue Service and our Neighbour’, ‘Safe Place’ and right across Wiltshire and housing associations, together ‘Touch2ID’ schemes across the Swindon. I would therefore like with valuable input from our whole county to see Anti-Social Behaviour community and voluntary sector. Risk Assessment Conferences I would like to see the initial (ASBRACS), which are proving proposals based on the analysis effective in Wiltshire, extended stages of this review by the end to Swindon and the Anti-Social of December 2013 Behaviour Advocacy scheme 6. The government plans to operating in Swindon extended introduce a tool called a to Wiltshire. I believe that this ‘Community Trigger’. This could be achieved by summer will allow a group of at least 2013. I would also like to see a five people from five different Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub households to force public (MASH) or equivalent operating sector agencies to act if they in Swindon by the end of 2013 have failed to act after three 5. I will commission the production previous separate reports about Working with our two local authorities and of a feasibility study into the the same issue. I will promote schools to help vulnerable children creation of multi-agency public this ‘Community Trigger’ tool to protection teams – I would not Community Area Boards and 11. I will work with our two local wish to be prescriptive about Localities. I will also encourage authorities to build upon the whether these are physical or Wiltshire Police and its partner success of Multi-Agency Forums, virtual teams. However working with primary school I have no doubt that a concerns about vulnerable greater shared ownership children and explore the of the needs of our more possibility of extending the vulnerable people would scheme to young people in be positive. I will therefore secondary schools and colleges be commissioning a as well multi-agency ‘Systems 12. I will establish a £1 million Thinking’ review into the ‘innovation’ fund to pump-prime best way to provide public initiatives that help me advance protection services across the objectives set out in this plan our respective agencies. The introduction of Wiltshire Police’s new and will invite bids in due course. By agencies, I mean hate crime policy
24 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Key facts: Putting victims and ■■ Between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2012 there were 36,046 witnesses first crimes recorded in Wiltshire and Swindon ■■ 8,939 of these crimes were In my manifesto I made a key commitment to referred to Victim Support for follow-up putting victims and witnesses at the heart of the ■■ 4,201 victims benefited from criminal justice system. I am very grateful for the support from Victim Support telephone guidance, with 500 also support of Victim Support and other community receiving follow-up home visits and voluntary sector agencies in Wiltshire and ■■ It is estimated that 16,000 women in Wiltshire aged between Swindon in helping me shape my plans. 16 and 59 experience domestic abuse in any given year So what are victims and ■■ 2,525 people received Victim witnesses telling me? Support in giving evidence as witnesses in criminal cases The key findings to come out of ■■ 18% of Magistrates’ Court Victim Support’s recent report trials and 14% of Crown Court ‘Listening and learning: Improving trials in England and Wales support for victims in Wiltshire’ were: had to be re-listed last year, i. There is little support for young leading to additional anxiety and people at risk of victimisation across wasted time for both victims and witnesses. all crime types ■■ 4 out of 10 Crown Court ii. Effective and consistent trials ‘crack’ i.e. the defendant communication is key to supporting enters a guilty plea late on in the victims and witnesses, as is having proceedings or key witnesses access to information about different fail to attend, effectively putting services and understanding their victims and often witnesses journey through the criminal justice through unnecessary anxiety in system. In addition, officers and the intervening period others supporting victims and ■■ 3,000 people in England and witnesses need to have a good to provide a collective response to Wales need to receive witness understanding of what is and is not support victims and witnesses in protection after having given available and not generate false Wiltshire evidence in cases involving expectations dangerous offenders v. More work needs to be done to ■■ More than 25% of collapsed iii. Domestic abuse appears to be a define anti-social behaviour and what prosecutions do so because significant issue in Wiltshire, and one can be done to address it witnesses or victims were that features particularly in young unwilling to give evidence people’s experiences, with double vi. There is a perceived shortage ■■ In 2011 it took an average of the number of people reporting of Independent Domestic Violence 22 weeks (five months) for an domestic abuse than in similar sized Advisers (IDVAs) offence to reach sentence through authority areas the Magistrates’ Court system. In vii. There appears to be insufficient the Crown Court it took 44 weeks iv. The financial situation is bringing provision of counselling services (10 months). overstretched organisations together for victims of sexual assault, sexual abuse or rape. 2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 25 Case study 1: The Crown -v- A N Other A N Other was charged with “Assaulting PC Smith and damaging a police vehicle”. He pleaded not guilty and a trial date was set for 15 November 2012. PC Smith and another police witness attended court but the trial did not go ahead due to over-listing.
Later that day, a new trial date was set by the Court for 2 January 2013, although the Crown Prosecution Service lawyer had access to ‘Police Dates to Avoid’ which clearly showed that PC Smith was on holiday on this new Giving evidence in court is a daunting prospect for many witnesses date.
On 16 November 2012 this error viii. Support for children and young giving evidence and need society’s was picked up by the Police people who have been victims of full support. Witness Care Unit who advised the crime is inconsistent across Wiltshire Crown Prosecution Service that and Swindon. A consistent standard Sadly cases like the one described PC Smith would be unavailable for and offering is needed in case study 1 are all too common the trial on that date. The Crown and affect hundreds of victims and Prosecution Service applied to ix. There needs to be greater witnesses every year, including alter this date but the defence emphasis upon practical and many who, owing to the nature of the refused. emotional support offence being tried, find themselves in a very vulnerable position. On 2 January 2013 the Crown x. There needs to be a meaningful Prosecution Service applied to the engagement and consultation Reflecting upon my three key themes Court to change the date of the strategy with victims and witnesses of ‘Partnership, pro-activity and trial. The defence again objected and the organisations that support prevention’, my ideal of course is to and the court agreed with the them so that they can help shape prevent people becoming victims defence. All the charges against A the services that will deliver the most N Other were dismissed. in the first place. However where significant positive impact people do become victims or where The victims and witnesses xi. The criminal justice system takes they need to give evidence in court, understandably felt very let down too long they need our full support and we by the system. need to work pro-actively and in xii. Witnesses are courageous in partnership to achieve this.
These local findings are echoed nationally, as illustrated by the following quotations.
Sara Payne (Child Protection Campaigner): “The criminal justice system must refocus so that it addresses the total impact a crime has had on a victim rather than the type of offence committed. Victim need and impact must be assessed on an individual basis and interventions for victims based on those assessed needs.”
Helen Grant (Victims’ Minister): “Witnesses are the unsung heroes of society, especially those who could be jeopardising their own safety. I cannot thank them enough for the vital role they play in bringing criminals to justice.”
26 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 My objectives in this area preferably resolution of the However, before I do this, I would like are: underlying issues to draw attention to and express my 6. To make the process of giving commitment to a number of existing 1. To give victims a clearer picture of evidence in court much more schemes that are already making a how to access the criminal justice victim and witness-focused. difference and together with ones system and the types of support that are in the pipeline and which I available at different stages At the end of this chapter I set out a believe will bring significant benefits 2. To involve victims much more number of initiatives designed to help to victims and witnesses. in designing the services put in deliver each of the above objectives. place to support them and make sure that these services are available to all those who need them 3. To keep victims and witnesses much better informed throughout the whole process from initial incident or crime to final resolution or sentence 4. To make criminal justice processes shorter, thereby reducing the amount of time victims’ and witnesses’ lives are put on hold 5. To place a much greater focus upon restorative justice outcomes, with victims seeing reparation Greater focus on restorative justice outcomes for the offences committed and
Initiatives that are already making a difference: ■■ The introduction of Domestic reparation to the victims and ■■ On Trak - Swindon’s Restorative Violence Protection Notices and communities they have harmed Youth Services’ counselling Orders, which allow offenders to ■■ The Neighbourhood Justice service for young people (see be barred from going near their Panel scheme now operating case study 3) victims for a period of up to 28 in Swindon and scheduled days, thereby giving the victim ■■ The service provided by the to extend to Wiltshire. This time to make choices about Sexual Assault Referral Centre sees offenders and victims their future in relative safety in Swindon come together in a facilitated ■■ The introduction of the conference, supported by ■■ The introduction of an ‘Early Domestic Violence Disclosure trained volunteers from the Guilty Plea Scheme’ in Crown Scheme (Clare’s Law), which community, in order to agree an Courts to encourage offenders allows the police to advise ‘Acceptable Behaviour Contract’ to plead guilty early rather than people about the domestic which satisfies the victim later on in the proceedings in abuse history of their new partners ■■ The Wiltshire Council ‘Theatre order to maximise the discount in Education’ initiative that takes applied to their sentence and ■■ Victim-focused Multi-Agency the issue of domestic abuse into save victims and witnesses Risk Assessment Conferences school in a thought-provoking additional anxiety due to and Anti-Social Behaviour Risk and educational way unnecessary delays Assessment Conferences ■■ The work of the Bobby Van ■■ The services provided by ■■ The appointment of a new Trust, which gives security Victims’ Commissioner Independent Domestic Violence advice and often fits additional (Baroness Newlove) Advisers to support victims (see security measures at the homes Case study 2) of the most vulnerable in our ■■ The extension and increase ■■ The growing importance of communities of the Victim Surcharge, an Victim Support Statements in ■■ The work of Victim Support additional amount levied on the criminal justice system and many other charitable conditional discharges, fines and ■■ A greater use of restorative organisations including custodial sentences and used justice outcomes, where women’s refuges and outreach to fund practical and emotional offenders make direct services support services for victims. 2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 27 Case study 2: Case study 3: Domestic violence On Trak young people’s counselling service Shauna had left her abusive Carla came to On Trak because she was involved in a court case in husband and moved to a safe which an 18 year old man was being prosecuted for a series of sexual location in Wiltshire. The incidents assaults against younger women. The first Carla knew about the case of abuse had occurred in another was when a policeman turned up at her school and asked her about part of the UK and she had trouble her relationship with an ex-boyfriend. Carla hadn’t told anybody that getting the two different police this boyfriend had tried to rape her when she was 14. forces to speak with one another. Carla agreed to give video evidence against this man. She was A referral through to the understandably nervous about the court proceedings and the possible Independent Domestic Violence consequences for her and her family. In counselling she also wanted to Adviser (IDVA) allowed her to talk about her relationship with her parents and about being bullied at get a great understanding of her school. choices and to allow someone to co-ordinate the response of Carla attended On Trak for six months. This time span covered pre- the police to make sure she was court, the trial itself and the aftermath. Carla was determined to testify supported. Working with the IDVA despite being scared about seeing her ex again. She was proud in Wiltshire allowed her to access of herself for going through with it and grateful to her parents who the Phoenix Group and meet other supported her throughout the trial. women who had experienced The man was found guilty and imprisoned. Carla said she gained domestic abuse. confidence from counselling because she was able to trust her counsellor and she valued the confidentiality of the counselling contract. An ending was agreed a few months after the court case had finished. Carla felt more able to talk to her parents and felt more equipped to focus on her schoolwork.
Initiatives that are in the early on in the process the pipeline include: defence has to be specific about which part of the ■■ A significant overhaul of the forensic evidence is subject criminal justice system (‘Swift to dispute rather than waste and Sure Justice’ White Paper), time and resources putting a which promises significant case together over evidence reductions in the time taken to that is not disputed complete court cases and will ►► Much more robust deliver significant benefits for management of both Crown victims and witnesses. This will and Magistrates’ Court be achieved through a number of initiatives including: ►► The removal from Magistrates’ Courts of approximately 50 per cent of their current caseload by allowing summary motoring offences and TV licence and Vehicle Excise Duty offences to be prosecuted directly by the police and determined by a single lay magistrate ►► A greater expectation for ‘lower harm’ cases to be tried in Magistrates’ Courts rather than in the Crown Court, where delays tend to be much longer ►► A streamlined forensic reporting process whereby
28 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 cases, so that they are more focused and do not over-run, Key new local initiatives to help deliver my objectives: thereby causing relisting of other cases further down In addition to the initiatives set out the schedule. In other words in the previous chapter ‘Protecting cases will become more the most vulnerable in society’, focused upon the victims all of which will bring significant and witnesses’ needs rather benefits to victims and potential than those of the defendant victims, I will commission and ►► Extended court opening implement the following during my times to provide additional term in office. flexibility for victims and witnesses 1. I will place even greater ►► Greater use of video emphasis upon restorative technology in courts allowing justice outcomes wherever witnesses to provide possible and suitable for evidence closer to home and victims, ensuring that victims in less hostile surroundings are involved in local resolution Ensuring victims have their say in the and have a say in the punitive punitive element of sentences element of sentences and community orders. Based upon Through this mechanism I my initial analysis of police also intend to create Victim detections and disposals, I will Panels, which will be used be commissioning a service to test check service designs from Wiltshire Police that and feedback on the quality delivers at least 70 per cent of services. The latter is of all detections as ‘out of covered in more detail in the court’ disposals and at least chapter ‘Driving up standards 75 per cent of these ‘out of of customer service’ and will court’ disposals incorporating contribute to the creation of Supporting victims of crime a restorative justice outcome a local Victims’ Charter for agreed with the local Swindon and Wiltshire, which community and or the victim ■■ Greatly enhanced will complement the national communication with victims and 2. I will set up a quarterly Victim Victims’ Charter already in witnesses about the progress Forum, to be co-ordinated place of their case through the by Victim Support. This will 3. I will commission the creation of criminal justice system. As part be in place by April 2013 a ‘Victim Pathway’ tool, which of the government’s ‘Digital by and will bring statutory and will help victims and witnesses Default’ strategy the Ministry community and voluntary chart their way through the of Justice will be redesigning sector organisations together to various stages of the criminal all its transactional and discuss issues that have most justice process and explain information exchange services impact upon them and help what support is available at to take advantage of modern shape future service delivery. each stage. This will be web- technology. As part of this process it intends to improve its communication with victims, both in terms of quality and frequency. ■■ Enhanced protection for witnesses in high risk trial situations through the creation of a national Witness Protection Service (to be called the UK Protected Persons Service) under the new National Crime Agency ■■ A move towards local commissioning of Victim Support services and more targeted use of the Victim From left) Victim Support Chair of Trustees Enid Rowland, Police and Crime Surcharge (10.65 million Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon Angus Macpherson and Chief Executive of nationally). Victim Support Javed Khan at a Victim Support Trustee event in London
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 29 streams. At the same time however I will be encouraging delivery partners to make greater use of volunteering capacity themselves. This can yield very impressive results, as demonstrated by Swindon’s Restorative Youth Services, who in their ‘On Trak’ counselling service are managing to deliver 2,000 sessions through a combination of 2.6 whole time equivalent staff and 15 volunteers 6. I will commission a multi-agency Systems Thinking Review into anti-social behaviour and the best ways for communities to prevent and combat it. Further detail on this initiative is provided in chapter five 7. I will work with Wiltshire Police, the judiciary, Victim Support and Community based and will provide links to resolved or has completed its Area Boards / Localities to agencies and organisations able cycle through the criminal justice ensure that Victim Impact to offer support. It will therefore system. This piece of work will Statements are embedded in also provide a gazetteer of be informed through consultation all police investigations and the different service offerings with the Victim Forum, set out in trial preparation and encourage available across Swindon point two, and will be complete the use of Community Impact and Wiltshire. This will be in by December 2013. I will also be Assessments wherever place by autumn 2013 and will investing in a suitable technology appropriate feature in ongoing staff training. platform to provide as much of Once this information is in this information electronically place, I will also commission as possible, in line with the a Systems Thinking Review, Government’s ‘Digital by Default’ again involving customers of strategy. This links into chapter these services, to see whether nine ‘Driving up standards of the current offering works well customer service’ and my plans from a customer perspective and for reinvigorating Neighbourhood whether it can be made more Watch, which are covered efficient and joined-up across in chapter five ‘Working with the various delivery partners. It communities to reduce crime and will also focus on the feedback anti-social behaviour’ from the recent Victim Support 5. I will work with my partners in report about the need for the local government and health to Commissioner to focus upon invest in additional independent independent practical advice victim-focused services through and emotional support, such as leverage of the Victim Surcharge support after abused women and other appropriate funding Ensuring victim impact statements are leave their refuges or embedded in all police investigations hostels. This will then form and trial preparation the basis of my future commissioning strategy 8. I will work with my fellow 4. I will define minimum Commissioners to have direct standards of information input into the work of the (detail and frequency) to Sentencing Council for England be provided to victims and and Wales witnesses from the point of 9. I will establish a £1 million the crime or incident right ‘innovation’ fund to pump-prime up to three months after initiatives that help me advance the case has either been Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust the objectives set out in this plan.
30 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Key facts: Reducing offending ■■ In 2011 across England and Wales over 75% of proven and re-offending offences were committed by offenders with a previous reprimand, warning, caution or There were 36,046 crimes recorded in Wiltshire and conviction Swindon between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2012, ■■ Between one third and one half of all acquisitive crime, all with a victim and approximately 30 per cent with such as theft and burglary, an identified offender. I am delighted to say that is committed by cocaine and heroine users. 31% of all these crime figures are reducing each year and offenders sentenced had directly that this county remains one of the safest in the related drug misuse country. However my aim and that of my partners is ■■ Nationally 40% of violent to reduce these figures further. crime, 78% of assaults and 88% of criminal damage offences are committed while the offender is My approach to under the influence of alcohol offending and re- ■■ Alcohol-related harm costs offending the United Kingdom £21 billion annually What is clear to me from the facts in the table left and some ■■ Wiltshire and Swindon have of the examples of effective higher rates of alcohol-related interventions cited below is hospital inpatient admissions than that the secret to reducing comparable areas of the country, offending is a combination of averaging 15,000 per year ‘carrot and stick’. There are ■■ The average age of a first time inevitably some offenders for offender entering the criminal whom the only realistic option justice system is 16 for boys and is imprisonment, sometimes for 15 for girls life. However these are by far Initiatives that are already the minority. For the majority, a ■■ 47% of adult offenders and making a difference include: much more effective approach 69% of juvenile offenders re- is to tackle the underlying ■■ Some of the excellent work offend within a year of leaving social factors that contribute to undertaken by the Licensing custody their offending, such as drug Tasking Group, a multi-agency ■■ Custodial sentences of less and alcohol misuse, and to approach to addressing than 12 months are less effective offer them a real alternative. problem licensed premises than both community orders Establishing a far clearer link involving Wiltshire Police, the and suspended sentences. between victim and offender Fire and Rescue Service and Indeed 57.6% of offenders given and, wherever possible, the appropriate local authority custodial sentences of less than including a strong restorative ■■ The Wiltshire Council ‘Theatre 12 months reoffend within 12 justice element are also core to in Education’ initiative, which months of release my philosophy. teaches school children about the impact of domestic violence ■■ 28% of all reported violent and what options there are for crime is domestic. the victims 2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 31 My objectives in this area of business are: 1. To place a much greater emphasis upon appropriate victim-focused restorative justice outcomes with offenders making reparation to the communities and individuals harmed in at least half of detected crimes 2. To see the harm caused by organised crime groups and dangerous drugs networks operating in the county reduce by at least 25 per cent compared to its 2012 level 3. To work with our local authorities to encourage Domestic Violence Protection Notices allow victims the space to make choices about their responsible licensed premises future in relative safety and take a firm approach to licensed premises that ■■ The introduction of Domestic average and are proving the abuse their position of social Violence Protection Notices and benefits of early intervention. responsibility Orders, which allow offenders to For example Swindon’s Early 4. To reduce our current be barred from going near their Intervention Team has worked 54% re-offending rate by victims for a period of up to 28 successfully with 87 per cent of commissioning rehabilitative days, thereby giving the victim the young people referred to it support and opportunities to time to make choices about to prevent school exclusions, break their cycle of offending their future in relative safety offending and anti-social and offer them real alternatives ■■ The introduction of the behaviour 5. Building upon the work Domestic Violence Disclosure ■■ The LIFE currently done by the local Scheme (Clare’s Law), which project in authorities with troubled allows the police to advise Swindon, families. people about the domestic which abuse history of their new has been partners successful ■■ Victim-focused Multi-Agency in helping Risk Assessment Conferences some of the (MARACs) and Anti-Social borough’s Behaviour Risk Assessment more The LIFE project is Conferences (ASBRACs) troubled helping troubled families families in ■■ The Swindon and Wiltshire bringing Integrated Targets for Change more order and hope to their (SWITCH) programme that lives is working with 263 identified high-end harm causers to try to ■■ The Complex Families Project, break their cycles of offending which is Wiltshire’s response to the government’s Troubled ■■ IDIOM – a Ministry of Families Project Justice and National Police Improvement Agency initiative ■■ Project Inspire – a Youth Action to help partners monitor the Wiltshire and Community offending of individuals under First initiative that has been either ‘Prolific and Persistent extended to provide a further Offenders’ or ‘Integrated 62 education, employment and Offender Management’ training opportunities for 13-17 (SWITCH) programmes year olds at risk of offending ■■ The work of Wiltshire and ■■ U-Turn – a Swindon restorative Swindon’s Youth Offending service initiative - that helped Services, which are both 85 young people break their producing reoffending rates alcohol and drug misuse habits that are well below the national last year 32 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 ■■ Neighbourhood Justice Panels, which are bringing offenders Initiatives that are in the pipeline include: into facilitated conference sessions with their victims, ■■ The government’s forthcoming ■■ Alcohol abstinence schemes, making them face up to the legislation that will introduce monitored by regular breath human consequences of their a much simplified legislative tests offences and agree Anti-Social landscape for Criminal ■■ Extended Behaviour Contracts as part of Behaviour Orders, which use of the reparation process apply after conviction; Crime curfews Prevention Injunctions, which ■■ Erlestoke Prison’s Healthy and are civil rather than criminal Trainer scheme, which has electronic sanctions and therefore have trained four cohorts of prisoners monitoring a lower burden of proof; to Level 3 City and Guilds ■■ Powers to Community Protection Orders Health Trainer Certificate speed up the eviction of anti- and new police ‘direction’ standard and will enhance social tenants powers. These will make their chances of finding gainful it easier for the police and ■■ Introduction of a ‘Community employment upon release other agencies to prevent and Trigger’, which will allow a ■■ Prison Gate Advocacy and sanction anti-social behaviour group of at least five people Resettlement Services such without having to go down a from five different households as those provided by Doorway criminal justice route to force public sector agencies to act if they have failed to act in Chippenham and Threshold ■■ The introduction of a punitive after three previous separate Link in Swindon requirement in all community reports about the same issue. ■■ Drug and alcohol treatment orders services.
Key new initiatives to help deliver my objectives: I am very supportive both of all the to have this approach in place support networks available to local initiatives that are already across Wiltshire and Swindon them are the old ones, which happening and the government’s by the end of December 2013 contributed to putting them in general direction. In general 2. I will continue to invest in Youth prison in the first place. I will terms however I wish to shift Offending Services but will therefore commission more the balance further in favour of look for the best practice from Prison Gate Advocacy schemes restorative justice outcomes, local Wiltshire Council to be adopted from the local community and resolution and re-education and by Swindon and vice-versa, so voluntary sector to help give all rehabilitation. I will therefore be that young people in both part those leaving prison a viable looking to commission more of of the county can benefit from alternative to reverting to a life these types of services. There the innovative practice that of crime are however a number of specific already exists 5. There is currently insufficient areas where I wish to focus during focus upon rehabilitation and the early part of my term in office. re-education of offenders in domestic violence cases. 1. I will work with our two local Hampshire Constabulary is authorities, Wiltshire Police, currently trialling a programme, the judiciary and Community which offers offenders in Area Boards / Localities lower level domestic violence to ensure that restorative incidents the opportunity justice sanctions become the to take part in educational default for offences suited workshops that make to restorative justice and them realise the harm that that both victims and their domestic violence causes. communities are involved in 3. Alcohol is a factor in far If the Hampshire trial proves this process through initiatives, too many crimes and anti- to be successful, I plan to such as Youth Offender Panels social behaviour incidents. commission a similar type of and Neighbourhood Justice In addition to treatment programme for Wiltshire Panels. Such an approach services I will commission a brings home to offenders the firmer crackdown on licensed 6. I will establish a £1 million human consequences of their premises that abuse their innovation fund to pump-prime offending and is, in my opinion, position of social responsibility community initiatives that help a key contributor to breaking 4. People leaving prison me advance the objectives set cycles of offending. My aim is sometimes find that the only out in this plan.
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 33 Case study: Driving up standards of Knowing when to say customer service “sorry” In the summer of 2011 Wiltshire Police were looking to question As I emphasise in the opening chapters of this a ‘John Smith’ in connection plan, policing and crime prevention can only be with the theft and handling of successful with the co-operation and support of some motor parts. the public. Not only do I want the co-operation and Unfortunately the Force arrested the wrong ‘John support of the public however. I want communities’ Smith’. When the mistake was active engagement as well. realised a few hours later, ‘John Smith’ was released If communities are to feel engaged from custody. John was and keen to support policing, they understandably very unhappy need to find every interaction they with being arrested and have with the police or one of complained, saying that it was our criminal justice partners both an unlawful arrest. The Force, professional and customer-focused. correctly in law, argued that the Many commercial organisations arrest had not been unlawful pride themselves on going beyond because it had legitimate expectations and achieving almost reasons to be looking for a flawless levels of customer service. ‘John Smith’ and these two In my opinion, the police and other ‘John Smiths’ happened to live criminal justice partners should be no in the same area and drive different. And when we get it wrong, similar cars. we should be quick to apologise and put things right. Although this may have been the case, the Force had still arrested the wrong man So what do the public currently think of policing and and should have apologised immediately. In this case an crime services? apology was not forthcoming ■■ 95% of people say that the community (December 2012 for many months and the police in Wiltshire and Swindon Residents’ Survey) incorrectly arrested John Smith “would treat you with respect became increasingly angry with ■■ 43% of the public nationally the organisation’s response. if you came into contact with them” (December 2012 are confident that the criminal Residents’ Survey) justice system is effective. 60% feel it is fair (Government ■■ 88% of people in Wiltshire ‘Swift and Sure’ White Paper and Swindon have overall 2012) confidence in the police and 87% believe that the police ■■ 34% of victims and witnesses understand and deal with nationally do not feel they are the issues that matter to the kept sufficiently well informed.
34 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Conclusions And how are the services ■■ 55.4% of police Crime What is evident to me from the performing? Recording and Incident Bureau calls were answered information (left) the following: ■■ 93.3% of police immediate within 30 seconds – i. Overall Wiltshire Police inspires response calls were attended compared to a target of 75% high levels of confidence from the within 15 minutes (urban) ■■ 8% of crime and incident and 20 minutes (rural) – data entries had to be majority of the population. This is a compared to a target of 87% corrected firm foundation upon which to build ■■ 95% of Criminal Records ii. When it comes to responding Bureau checks were to emergencies, Wiltshire Police completed by Wiltshire Police consistently performs well within national service level iii. For initial contact in respect of agreement target times non-emergencies, Wiltshire Police ■■ It took on average six weeks also performs well. However, to grant or renew a firearms when the call moves to the Crime licence Recording and Incident Bureau, ■■ 80% of police information requests were answered where members of the public go within target response through the details of their non- timescales emergency crimes and incidents, ■■ Wiltshire Police received 419 performance drops considerably, complaints from members with callers sometimes experiencing ■■ 85.8% of police priority of the public between 1 April significant delays response calls were 2011 and 31 March 2012 iv. In some of the more transactional attended within 60 minutes – ■■ The average time between areas e.g. undertaking Criminal compared to a target of 85% offence and sentence in Records Bureau checks, responding ■■ 90.4% of police emergency Wiltshire courts is 17.5 to information requests and granting (999) calls were answered weeks firearms licences, performance is ■■ 34% of victims feel that within 10 seconds – inconsistent and in many cases compared to a target of 90% they are kept insufficiently current processes can take too long ■■ 93.4% of police non- informed during the progress emergency (101) calls were of a criminal justice case. v. Wiltshire Police receives more answered within 30 seconds than average complaints for a police – compared to a target of Source: Wiltshire Police Performance force of Wiltshire’s size, particularly Statistics April to November 2012 95% for cases of incivility and is currently missing its targets in terms of response and resolution times vi. Occasionally procedural correctness gets in the way of common sense customer service vii. Data quality is still not good enough. An eight per cent error rate is too high at initial input and requires significant resources to correct viii. The broader criminal justice service often takes far too long between offence and sentence and leaves a significant proportion of witnesses feeling insufficiently informed. 2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 35 My objectives: My objectives for driving up customer service standards are as follows:
1. For Wiltshire Police to consistently achieve its call performance targets for non-emergency as well as emergency calls, with particular emphasis upon the Crime Recording and Incident Bureau arena, where delays are currently most common
2. For Wiltshire Police to receive fewer complaints, especially for incivility; for the Force’s performance in this respect to be in the top quartile for Wiltshire Bobby Van operatives help victims of crime feel secure again the country and for mediation and local resolution to be the Initiatives that are already making a difference include: default remedy within the police complaints system There are already a number assessed, and which promotes high levels of customer service 3. For customer satisfaction of initiatives that are making a levels to increase to 95 per difference in this area and I am keen ■■ A move towards more cent saying that they rated the to see these continue: restorative justice outcomes service they received as ‘good’, involving offenders making ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’ ■■ The introduction within suitable reparation to victims Wiltshire Police of a Values and and their communities 4. For common sense to over- Behaviours Framework, against ■■ The creation of a refreshed data ride procedural correctness which officers and staff will be quality action plan. in cases where the Force has clearly made a mistake and needs to apologise at the Initiatives that are in the pipeline include: outset ■■ Significant improvements to platform, initiated by 5. For transactional processes the Criminal Justice System, Wiltshire on behalf of the to be improved and, wherever as set out in chapter National Police Improvement possible, automated so that seven (Putting victims and Agency and a consortium delays and processing times witnesses first) of 25 police forces, that can be greatly reduced, ■■ A ‘Systems Thinking’ Review will allow members of the thereby allowing target service of the whole crime and public to transact online for levels to be achieved in 99 per incident recording process services, such as firearms cent of cases in order to minimise the licensing and information information that members requests, and deliver 6. For the criminal justice process of the public are asked to significant process and time to be streamlined, so that the provide and ensure that the improvements. average length of time between information is only requested offence and sentence or once. This is sanction is halved, compared hugely important to current levels work and I 7. For initial data quality to be wish to see this correct first time in at least 99 accelerated, so per cent of cases. that it reports its recommendations by the end of September 2013 at the very latest ■■ Investment in an eCommerce
36 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Key new initiatives to help provide a much more informed to be a cornerstone in policing. I deliver my objectives: and tailored service. This will will therefore be commissioning a be a complicated piece of work roadmap for this development to I have set out below a number of but I would like to see this be completed by the end of 2013 specific new initiatives, which I will implemented by the end of March 7. I will commission the inclusion of commission and implement during 2015 at the latest specific customer care and data my term in office in order to drive 3. I will look to introduce a joined up quality modules in all officer and up standards of customer service. 999 and 101 service covering our staff training Owing to the cross-cutting priorities two local authorities, Wiltshire featuring in this plan, some of these Police and the Fire and Rescue initiatives will also feature in other Service. This also features chapters. This is cross-referenced prominently in chapter six from where this is the case. a vulnerability perspective but is equally important in terms of 1. I will commission a series of giving members of the public just service reviews centred around two numbers to remember and the needs of our customers. being able to access a number Specific reviews already covered of different services through it. in this plan include Systems Again this is a complicated piece Thinking Reviews into anti-social of work but I think that we have behaviour, public protection, a realistic chance of seeing this victims’ pathways and the police come to fruition by the end of force’s customer contact / crime March 2016 recording and incident bureau processes. Each will involve 4. I will define minimum standards members of the public as the of information (detail and customer voice and I will look to frequency) to be provided to enlist the help of existing citizen victims and witnesses from the panels in both local authority point of the crime or incident right areas to do this up to three months after the case has either been resolved or has 2. I will commission the introduction completed its cycle through the of a Customer Relationship Using email to solicit feedback about the criminal justice system (further Management system and quality of service customers receive detail in chapter seven) approach for Wiltshire Police. This features prominently in 5. I will create both a Customer 8. I will ask the Chief Constable to chapter six ‘Protecting the most and a Victim Charter, in which collect customer email addresses vulnerable in society’ due to I will clearly set out the levels and mobile telephone numbers its importance in helping to of service that members of when they contact us and identify both patterns of calls the public can expect from the implement a system where the for assistance and those who services I commission on their Force routinely and electronically are most vulnerable. However behalf. This is an important piece solicits feedback about the it is also a key tool in improving of work and I plan to have the quality of service customers general levels of customer first version of this in place by receive service because, by leveraging September 2013 such a system from either or 6. I will look for Wiltshire Police 9. I will scrutinise the police preferably both of our local to make much more use of complaints system so that I can authority partners and being online and digital channels. I am see whether the customer care able to create one consolidated delighted to see that the national elements of training are having picture of what our customers are eCommerce initiative, which was an impact and whether those contacting us about (as set out started by Wiltshire, is now in providing services on my behalf in chapter six), we will be able to the pipeline. However I wish to are dealing with customers in a see this expanded as quickly as common sense and customer- possible to as many transactional focused way. I am appointing processes as possible, including an independent adjudicator to firearms licensing, online perform this function recruitment, vetting, information 10. I will work with Wiltshire Police, requests and potentially areas of the judiciary and Victim Support business such as Neighbourhood to ensure that the reforms set out Watch and crime reporting. in the government’s White Paper The Cabinet Office’s ‘Digital by with regards to ‘Swift and Sure Default’ strategy is clearly the Justice’ achieve the objectives I direction of travel for the Ministry have set with regards to halving of Justice and it equally needs average process times.
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 37 Key facts: Ensuring unfailing and timely ■■ Wiltshire Police receives response to calls for assistance approximately 84,000 emergency (999) calls a year, 67,500 of which require This is probably the area that members of the resources to be dispatched to public most associate with policing: the fast and them assured response to a call for assistance; one ■■ Over 90% of these calls are that normally arrives with flashing blue lights and consistently answered within the target time of 10 seconds quickly takes control of the situation. It is also one which consistently delivers high performance. ■■ Resources arrive on scene within target times (15 minutes Whether it is in initial response, resource dispatch urban / 20 minutes rural) over or attendance, Wiltshire Police consistently 93% of the time. exceeds its performance targets, answering a 999 call in less than 10 seconds and arriving at the scene within 15 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes within more rural ones.
In my manifesto I made a help police large demonstrations or commitment to maintain front line events such as G8 summits. And officer strength. The public can all police forces take it in turns to therefore rest assured that Wiltshire be on call to provide a ‘Casualty Police will receive the resources it Bureau’ service for the Foreign needs to maintain this consistently and Commonwealth Office. These high level of performance. are used when there are disasters overseas, e.g. plane crashes or At the same time we cannot overlook tsunamis, and members of the Wiltshire Police’s responsibilities as public need to find out information part of wider UK policing and as part about family, friends or relatives in of the government’s national and the affected areas. Again I give my strategic policing requirements. Most total commitment that there will be members of the public will probably sufficient resources to fulfil all these know that Wiltshire was required to obligations. provide resources for policing the Olympics, both in London and in In some cases however the best way Dorset. Similarly, when there are to fulfil these obligations is through large-scale murder investigations shared or collaborative ventures with or missing person enquiries, the other police forces. I am delighted police force in whose area the to say that Wiltshire has been at the enquiry is taking place, will often forefront of policing collaboration call for additional resources from its in the South West region and is Public Support Units can be neighbours. What is probably less already deriving significant benefits called on to help police large well known is that all police forces from it. Examples include Zephyr, demonstrations or events across the are required to maintain a certain also covered in chapter six, country number of Public Support Units to which is the South West region’s
38 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 dedicated serious Key initiatives to help deliver and organised Initiatives that are my objectives: crime capability already making a which has been difference include: Many of the initiatives that I will be successful in progressing to achieve my objectives dismantling ■■ Zephyr – the South West in this area are already in progress. a number of region’s serious and However I have replicated those about organised crime organised crime capability which I feel most strongly below. groups, as well ■■ Brunel – Avon and as recovering significant amounts 1. I will press for an expansion Somerset / Wiltshire’s of regional protective services of money and other assets through combined capability for the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. capability, in order to maximise major crime investigations the synergies between forces Likewise there is Brunel, which is and counter-terrorism. an Avon and Somerset / Wiltshire and reduce duplication, but with collaboration for major crime such clear and consistent governance Initiatives that are in the arrangements and accountability as murders and stranger rapes. pipeline include: Under this arrangement major to local Commissioners, where each participating Commissioner crimes in either police force area are ■■ Plans to place more has an equal voice investigated through a combined specialist crime Major Investigation Team capability. capabilities and assets into 2. I will press for the creation of at This has provided significant regional consortia least a tri-force (Avon & Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire) additional resilience, allowing ■■ The creation of a tri- specialist operations unit covering Wiltshire to cope much better with force (Avon & Somerset, armed response, dog handling a number of major incidents at the Gloucestershire and and road policing with appropriate same time, as well as providing Wiltshire) firearms training operating bases in each additional capacity for ‘cold case’ service and supporting participating police force area reviews. range 3. I will invest in the next generation ■■ The creation of a tri- Victim Support’s corporate strategy is of mobile information solutions force (Avon & Somerset, based upon ‘providing services that for Wiltshire Police and expect Gloucestershire and will meet local need but draw upon to see significant additional Wiltshire) specialist national strength.’ This will also be public benefits as a result. I operations unit covering my approach in Wiltshire. Service pay tribute to the significant specialisms, such as delivery will always be local but, visibility and productivity benefits armed response, dog where it is either more efficient or achieved with the current handling units and roads resilient to organise it on shared or mobile information solution but policing. collaborative lines, this is what I will there are further benefits to commission. be obtained and I want to see mobile information, geographical mapping and intelligent tasking optimised so that police patrols My objectives for this area of activity are very simple. are consistently in the right place They are: at the right time. 1. To ensure that Wiltshire 3. To ensure that Wiltshire has Police consistently meets its the capacity and capability, target response times either on an individual or 2. To ensure that Wiltshire shared basis, to deal with can meet its national and both major crime incidents strategic policing requirement and the threats posed by commitments serious and organised crime.
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 39 Unlocking the resources to deliver
Key facts: As readers will know, the precarious state of the ■■ As Commissioner, I will global economy and burgeoning levels of debt in receive approximately £106.7 Western economies have forced the government million in grant funding and to introduce significant austerity measures, both council tax in 2013-14 to commission police and crime- for individuals and public sector agencies. This related services has led to significant pressures across the range ■■ Wiltshire in 2012-13 had of services I will be commissioning, such as the 17th lowest police council through reduced levels of donations to charitable tax precept in the country and the lowest in the South West organisations or grant reductions for public region. A band D council tax agencies. property (middle band) was charged £157.77 per year Wiltshire Police, for example, has and people are feeling safer. The for policing services and the had to make budget reductions of Fire and Rescue Service has been charge will remain at this level £8 million during the last two years successful in reducing demand even for 2013-14. This is about and will need to make further budget further, largely through targeted £40 less than neighbouring reductions of approximately £13 community engagement and Gloucestershire, which in 2013- million between now and 31 March education. And, as set out earlier 14 set its band D precept at 2016. On a base budget of just in this plan, volunteering remains £199.69. over £100 million per year, these particularly strong in Wiltshire are significant reductions and will and Swindon. Rather than feeling amount to a 21 per cent real terms despondent about the funding reduction in funding over five years. reductions ahead therefore, I relish The Fire and Rescue Service has the challenge and have no doubt been affected similarly and our two that we can continue to deliver better local authority partners have faced outcomes with fewer resources. even larger funding reductions, However, I need the active support translating to real terms reductions and engagement of you, our of over 30 per cent over the same communities, to help me do this. period. Charities have seen their donations reduce by 20 per cent in I am confident that I will receive this just one year (2011-12 compared to support and, in line with my election 2010-11). pledge, confirm that there will be no police council tax increase in 2013- Even with these savings the country 14. This means that the policing remains in debt and further funding element of council tax for a Band D reductions are inevitably on their property in Wiltshire and Swindon will way. At the same time the average remain at £157.77 for the financial age of the population is increasing year starting on 1 April 2013. That’s and demand for services continues just 43 pence a day per Band D to rise. property or 15 pence a day for each man, woman or child in the county. Despite all of this, our two local With this being the lowest police authorities are still performing council tax in the South West region, strongly and really energising their I hope that you will agree that this communities to meet the challenges represents fantastic value for money. that lie ahead. Crime has reduced
40 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Unlocking the resources to deliver
– this is the ‘Systems Thinking’ approach 2. To invest in services and interventions that can be shown to work in the longer term rather than those that merely act as sticking plasters 3. To invest more in preventative services rather than those that pick up the pieces at greater cost further down the line 4. To do things once in partnership rather than multiple times in isolation
Working in partnership with public agencies
On the previous page I point to the It is very easy for organisations to fact that Wiltshire Police and its carry on doing things in the same partner agencies have continued to way. In a world moving as quickly as perform strongly. This is no accident. ours does however, this is unlikely to Testing financial times require us all be a sustainable or desirable option. to think differently, share services where we might not otherwise have Fundamentally the state of the done so and be much more focused country’s finances leaves public in where we put our resources. This agencies with two choices: Wiltshire Council website not only provides better value for a) continue to do the same things money but also allows agencies to they have done for many years 5. To emulate the commercial rethink and improve their services. but spread more thinly or sector much more by providing greater and more cost-effective b) seek smarter ways of supporting access to services, often online communities’ needs.
I am delighted to say that our public agencies have recognised that the only sustainable choice is the latter.
To deliver this plan I need to ensure that every penny entrusted to me is used to deliver positive and sustainable outcomes. With this in mind, I have set the following objectives for my term in office.
My objectives: Swindon Borough Council website 1. To ensure that all services are 6. To stimulate our communities to redesigned around customer help themselves more by giving needs, stripping out activities that them the support and confidence add no value to the customer and to trial initiatives that add most Wiltshire has the lowest police concentrating upon those that do council tax in the South West region value to them.
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 41 Case study: Streamlining court processes and a systems thinking approach A recent Northumbria Criminal Justice Board review discovered that there were 53 separate steps across the police, the prosecution and the courts in prosecuting cases of common assault through the Magistrates’ Courts and that on average the process took 15 weeks and six days, of which only six hours and four minutes was actual work in progress.
Artists impression of the new Springfield Campus at Corsham
Initiatives that are already making a difference include: ■■ Zephyr – the South West initiative to Wiltshire Police, region’s serious and organised which is being used to review crime capability areas of business such as ■■ Brunel – Avon and Somerset / customer access, community Wiltshire’s combined capability safety and anti-social behaviour, for major crime investigations as well as people services and and counter-terrorism ■■ The South West Procurement criminal justice Department, which, working ■■ The co-location of alongside a private sector Chippenham’s neighbourhood company, is delivering millions policing team with local of pounds of savings through authority services in Monkton smarter procurement, demand Park, a move that is already management and contract delivering significant operational management benefits and which, when ■■ The recent redesign of Wiltshire Police shift patterns, which augmented with response has produced a much closer fit resources in February 2013, will between service demand and allow future vacation and sale of resource availability the current Chippenham police ■■ The rollout of a comprehensive station site. This will free up mobile information solution significant capital and revenue within Wiltshire Police enabling resources for reinvestment in officers to spend over 90 per more preventative and proactive cent of their time out and visible services within communities, rather than tied to a computer in the police ■■ The co-location of some of station Wiltshire Police’s and Wiltshire ■■ The creation of Joint Strategic Council’s Safeguarding / Public Assessments for both Wiltshire Protection resources to improve and Swindon joint decision making in respect ■■ The introduction of of vulnerable people Neighbourhood Justice ■■ The interchange between Panels in Swindon, which Wiltshire Council and Wiltshire are producing much more Police of project management sustainable restorative justice outcomes for offenders, victims and ICT staff in order to share and communities best practice and identify ■■ The extension of Wiltshire synergies between the two Council’s ‘Systems Thinking’ organisations.
42 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Initiatives that are in the pipeline include:
■■ Plans to place more specialist customer-focused and sophisticated measures of demand crime capabilities and assets efficient supporting and much more imaginative ways into regional consortia, infrastructure of fulfilling it. This means working thereby reducing duplication ■■ The introduction of the from the customer backwards, and freeing up resources for government’s ‘Swift and Sure’ asking what the customer really other initiatives Criminal Justice reforms, needs, how best those needs ■■ The Creation of a tri- which include an expansion in can be fulfilled and then ensuring force (Avon & Somerset, the ability to give evidence by that the teams doing the job have Gloucestershire and video link, thereby freeing up access to the information and tools Wiltshire) firearms training significant amounts of police necessary to do it effectively and, service and supporting officer time wherever possible, without the need for repeat treatment. firearms range. ■■ Investment in an eCommerce ■■ The creation of a tri- platform, initiated by Wiltshire force (Avon & Somerset, on behalf of the National Gloucestershire and Police Improvement Agency Wiltshire) specialist and a consortium of 25 operations unit covering police forces, that will allow specialisms such as armed members of the public to response, dog handling units transact online for services and roads policing such as firearms licensing ■■ The development of and information requests and community campuses deliver significant process across Wiltshire starting with and time improvements. Corsham These are very important ■■ The creation of an integrated foundations but in many ways, reception / front desk especially at the local level, they Monkton Park in Chippenham service at Monkton Park in only just scratch the surface of Chippenham what will need to be achieved in This is why the new initiatives I ■■ The production of a the longer term. have set out below are some of single Wiltshire Council / the boldest in this plan. I make no Wiltshire Police estate and The future needs to be integration apology for this. Tough challenges ICT blueprint, designed of services rather than co-location need bold solutions. to produce a much more of them, informed by much more
Key new initiatives to help deliver my objectives:
1. I will place a much greater direction of travel for the Ministry roadmap for this development to emphasis on volunteering, as set of Justice and it equally needs be completed by the end of 2013. out in initiatives five to eight of to be a cornerstone in policing. I 3. I wish to reiterate my chapter five. will therefore be commissioning a commitment to the current 2. I will look for Wiltshire Police Wiltshire Council campus to make much more use of programme and my expectation online and digital channels. I am that we will see an integrated delighted to see that the national Safer Community Team and eCommerce initiative, which was reception / front desk service started by Wiltshire, is now in operating from each one. the pipeline. However I wish to 4. I will commission ‘Systems see this expanded as quickly as Thinking’ reviews of the entire possible to as many transactional police and crime value chain, processes as possible, including working with customers to firearms licensing, online redesign services that really add recruitment, vetting, information value. I want to see this as the requests and potentially areas of default approach and will only business such as Neighbourhood be investing in organisations that Watch and crime reporting. can demonstrate this to be the The Cabinet Office’s ‘Digital by bedrock of their service offerings. Default’ strategy is clearly the 2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 43 maybe others 9. I want to see Wiltshire Police derive significant additional benefits from the next generation of mobile information solutions. I pay tribute to the significant visibility and productivity benefits achieved with the current mobile information solution but there are further benefits to be obtained, especially where completing a process out in the field can eliminate back office processes altogether 10. I also want to see more single crewing of police patrols where it is safe to do so and for officers to Analysing the effectiveness of different policing interventions spend more time on foot in order to maximise engagement with members of the public 5. I want to see ‘evidence-based’ see a future of integrated Safer policing become the norm across Community Teams. To deliver 11. I believe that there are also Wiltshire and Swindon. There these, each operating from significant synergies to be needs to be far more analysis either a campus or locality, we gained from further consolidation of the effectiveness of different need one combined change of specialist policing support policing interventions and I will programme, which spans services. Forensics is one expect to see this as a core Wiltshire Police and Wiltshire example and I will be pressing for competency of all Wiltshire and Swindon local authorities. I a much more ambitious approach Police’s senior management by will therefore be proposing that it than before to forensics March 2015. I also expect to see is time to combine the ‘business collaboration across the South interventions endorsed by the improvement and change’ West region College of Policing e.g. targeted resources of Wiltshire Police 12. To stimulate community hotspots policing trialled and with those of Wiltshire Council engagement and prevention introduced in this county and preferably also those of activities, I will be creating a one- 6. I want to see restorative justice Swindon Borough Council. From off investment fund of £1 million, outcomes become much more 1 April 2013 therefore I will be drawn from existing reserves, common. Wiltshire is ahead commissioning police and crime which I will use to commission of current national targets. project management capability and pump-prime innovative new However these targets are from Wiltshire Council and will be prevention-orientated services. currently too low. Based upon transferring all current Wiltshire This will then help to inform the my initial analysis of police Police project management commissioning strategy of both detections and disposals, I will resources to Wiltshire Council myself and my local authority be commissioning a service from 8. I see significant partners. Wiltshire Police that delivers at potential from the least 70 per cent of all detections consolidation of ‘back as ‘out of court’ disposals and office’ support functions at least two-thirds of these ‘out between Wiltshire of court’ disposals incorporating Police, Wiltshire a restorative justice outcome Council and Swindon agreed with the local community Borough Council. and victim. I expect to see Whilst recognising that significant administrative and ‘file this is not something to building’ resources to be freed be undertaken lightly, up as a consequence, which I will commission can then be re-invested in more the production of preventative services a business case to 7. There is no place for disjointed determine whether a change programmes between range of ‘back office’ key delivery partners in the and support functions policing and community safety could be delivered sectors. As I have set out in more cost effectively across a consortium my chapter on reducing crime Joining up project management resources and anti-social behaviour, I of these agencies and 44 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Wiltshire Police service level commitments for 2013-14
My Objective to drive up standards of customer service will be reflected in a new performance scorecard.
1. Call performance targets for non-emergency as particularly civil society. I want mediation and well as emergency calls are being developed. local resolution to be the default remedy within There will be particular emphasis upon the Crime the police complaints system. Recording and Incident Bureau arena, where 3. Common sense must prevail. Where the delays have occurred in the past. Constabulary has clearly made a mistake and 2. I want Wiltshire Police to receive fewer needs to apologise, it must do this at the outset complaints, especially for incivility. There is no 4. Customer satisfaction levels must increase so reason why the Constabulary should not be in that 95% say that they rated the service they the top 25% in the country. We are, after all, a received as good or better.
Service level measures Actual Standard I Group Measure (estimated) will set To be added Visibility Proportion of the public that are satisfied with police visibility 62% after consultation
To be added 999 calls answered within 10 seconds 92% Contacting after consultation us To be added 101 to report crime - calls answered within 30 seconds 64% after consultation
To be added Immediate response to emergencies 93% after consultation Dealing To be added with an Satisfaction with being kept informed after reporting an incident 84% after consultation incident To be added Satisfaction of victims with how an incident is investigated 80% after consultation
To be added Number of complaints of incivility, impoliteness and intolerance 128 after consultation Making a complaint Number of days to finalise a complaint made against Wiltshire To be added 54 days CUSTOMER JOURNEY CUSTOMER Police after consultation
New To be added Failed prosecutions due to quality of police action measure after consultation
New To be added Percentage of victims referred to Victim Support measure after consultation Outcomes New To be added Percentage of victims of burglary receiving follow up visit measure after consultation
Satisfaction of victims with the whole experience after reporting To be added 85% an incident to Wiltshire Police after consultation
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 45 Delivering performance - holding the Chief Constable and other delivery agents to account
In the previous chapter I have set out for the shortfall. I believe that this commissioning some of the major service standards approach will help to give communities more say over local policing and crime priorities and make the that members of the public can expect service delivery more accountable to them. from policing and crime services There is of course a danger that commissioning during my first year in office. Before brings with it an administrative overhead that the election of Commissioners, police can detract from frontline service delivery. I am authorities had the task of monitoring determined that this should not be the case. I service standards and providing will therefore be working with my local authority and health partners to dovetail with their existing overall scrutiny and governance over commissioning and monitoring arrangements. This the performance of police forces. The means I will be able to minimise cost whilst ensuring police authority therefore held the that communities are able to see the level of service they should be receiving, have an opportunity to police force and the Chief Constable shape those services and receive proper recourse if to account. Now this role falls to me. those services are not forthcoming. The role of a Police and Crime Commissioner I, or a member of my team, will be a regular however is broader than that of my predecessor attendee at community area boards and I will be police authority. The first reason is that, in police encouraging communities to play an active role in and crime, the scope is broader. From April 2013, my commissioning and monitoring activities. for example, I will be commissioning services from Wiltshire and Swindon’s Youth Offending Services. Holding the Commissioner to account As part of the government’s criminal justice reforms, I will soon be responsible for the commissioning of local Victim Support Services. There is talk of commissioning probation services in the future and I will be establishing an ‘innovation fund’. I will also soon be commissioning services from community and voluntary groups. The second reason is that it is a commissioning role. Although it will take 12 months to move to a true commissioning framework, my job is to specify a clear set of outputs and outcomes for each service I commission and agree a price for it. I must also mention the important function of the If the specification is not met, the price is adjusted Police and Crime Panel. This is a panel of elected accordingly. If, for example, I commission a certain councillors from Wiltshire and Swindon and two number of Safer Community Team ‘policing’ co-opted independent members, whose job it is to hours for a community and the Force is unable to scrutinise my decisions and hold me to account. If deliver these, the price I pay for the service will be therefore any member of the public or a community discounted to reflect the under-delivery and I can Area Board or Locality is unhappy with any of my then look to commission an alternative service, decisions, there is a scrutiny avenue available perhaps from the community itself, to make up through the Police and Crime Panel.
46 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Our future in our hands – come and get involved
I cannot At the same time I will be urging communities to emphasise keep on doing the things that are already making a difference, such as Street Watch, Community Speed enough how Watch, a reinvigorated Neighbourhood Watch and important other initiatives such as the ‘Safe Place’ and ‘Good communities and Neighbour’ schemes, where communities take greater responsibility for the vulnerable within their the individuals communities. My message is simple: “I need you within them are to continue giving your time and enthusiasm but in to the success return I will make available pump-priming grants of policing and and only commission services that help rather than hinder your community efforts.” crime prevention. Hopefully this message jumps out of every chapter Victims need a special voice as well. This is why, as set out in my chapter on ‘Putting victims and of this plan. ‘Partnership, pro-activity witnesses first’, I will be establishing a Victims’ and prevention’ – these will be the Forum, co-ordinated by Victim Support. This will watchwords of my tenure as Police provide me with regular feedback, help me design and Crime Commissioner and I want and test new services and provide independent assessment of service delivery on the ground. as many of you as possible to get involved. I also have responsibility for Custody Visiting and I am always looking for more Custody Visitors I and my team have already received a very warm who undertake regular inspections of the custody welcome from all of the county’s Community Area environment. Boards and Swindon Localities. As I have from the many other groups and associations I have met These are just some of the ways I am looking to in my first few months as Commissioner. I would engage communities. I know that I will have left also like to thank the hundred or so people who gaps. This is why I want you to engage me in the gave up their time recently to attend one of my conversations that mean most to you and in the community and voluntary sector workshops, where ways most convenient to you. we discussed various themes within this plan and So, if you have something to contribute, I want to helped shape many of the initiatives within it. My hear from you. You can find out lots of different ongoing dialogue with all of you will be crucial to ways to contact me in the final appendix to this plan. making communities feel safer and be safer, as Come and find me at a community meeting, make well as improving the police and crime services you contact through my office or my website or, better receive. But it will not just be words. As set out in still, invite me for a cup of tea, so that I can see your my chapter on ‘Unlocking resources’, I am serious group’s work in action. about putting significant amounts of my resources into community budgets and giving communities It’s our future and our communities. I firmly believe a much greater say in how police and crime funds that our glass is half full rather than half empty. are spent. I am also serious about doing things Together we can make a real difference. Together differently and am looking for community groups we can build strong communities with less crime and voluntary sector agencies to come forward with and anti-social behaviour. new ideas and schemes that will make a lasting difference to community safety. This is why I am setting aside a one-off Innovation Fund and will be Angus Macpherson Police and Crime Commissioner inviting bids over the coming months. for Wiltshire and Swindon 2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 47 Appendix A
Key statistics - population, performance and workforce
Key Population Statistics: Total 0-14 yrs 0-14 yrs 15-64 yrs 15-64 yrs 65+ yrs 65+ yrs numbers numbers percentage numbers percentage numbers percentage Wiltshire 470,981 84,848 18.0 300,645 63.8 85,488 18.2 Swindon 209,156 38,789 18.5 141,513 67.7 28,854 13.8 Total 680,137 123,637 18.2 442,158 65.0 114,432 16.8 Source: Census 2011, Office for National Statistics
Recorded crime - release July 2012: Violence Of- Burglary against Sexual fences Criminal Total Robbery Burglary in a the offences against damage dwelling person vehicles Wiltshire total 12 months to 36,046 6,624 568 246 4,658 1,342 3,884 6,891 April 2012 Wiltshire total 12 months to 37,496 6,983 610 308 5,191 1,636 3,772 7,165 April 2011 % change from 12 months to -3.9% -5.1% -6.9% -20.1% -10.3% -18.0% 3.0% -3.8% April 2011 Change in -1,450 -359 -42 -62 -533 -294 112 -274 victim numbers National change -2.6% -7.0% -0.02% 3.0% -1.3% -2.5% -6.3% -8.6% Staffing numbers:
2012-13 average numbers 2013-14 estimated numbers (full-time equivalents) (full-time equivalents) Police officers 1,057 1,057 Police Community Support Officers 146 141 Police staff 848 848 Total 2,051 2,046
48 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Appendix A Appendix B
Finance in the new structure 1. Background counties (Dorset was £180 with 1.95% increase 2. Income = £183.51, Gloucestershire was £199.69 with 2% increase = £203.68). I will be reviewing the precept 3. Reserves at the beginning of each year, in consultation with 4. Commissioned services the public and business communities. 5. Capital expenditure Table 1: Council tax rates for 2013-14 (Policing and crime element) Background Band A £105.18 Band E £192.83 The changes in the system from police authorities to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) brought Band B £122.71 Band F £227.89 about a major relationship change. Both the PCC and the Chief Constable are what is known as Band C £140.24 Band G £262.95 ‘Corporations Sole’. In simple terms we each operate both as individuals and as the office we hold. As part Band D £157.77 Band H £315.54 of the way the transition was set up, all the assets and staff were transferred to the Office of the PCC Some of the grants that are made from central (OPCC). All staff are currently employed by the government are only to be used for specific OPCC but many are under the direction and control purposes, and in table 2 (overleaf) I have included of the Chief Constable. It is envisaged that there will these. be a second stage transfer of staff at some point in the future, and I would want this to happen in the The Community Safety Funding grant replaces year 2013/14. Along with that transfer there may also central funding provided for the following initiatives: be a transfer of assets and reserves from the OPCC ■■ Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) to the Constabulary. ■■ DIP Drug Testing Grant Income for 2013 – 14 and beyond ■■ Community Safety Partnership funding If there is one thing that differentiates the old system ■■ Youth crime and substance misuse prevention and that of Police and Crime Commissioners it is activities the financial relationship between the office of the Commissioner and that of those who are providing ■■ Positive Futures the service. ■■ Communities against gangs, guns and knives I am required to prepare a plan for four years, and ■■ Ending gang and youth violence programme annually to set a local precept. That is the money that I will collect locally through the council tax. ■■ Community Action Against Crime: Innovation In addition, I receive various grants from central Fund government, the total being the total income that I have for the year. In addition to this I have reserves, ■■ Safer Future Communities as explained below. This is the total income coming to the office from I gave an undertaking in the election that I would not which I am required to commission services to help increase the precept this year, and so it remains at keep the people of Wiltshire and Swindon safe and £157.77 for a band D property. I think this compares to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour. very well with the amount charged in neighbouring
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 49 Appendix B continued
Table 2: Police and Crime Commissioner budget for 2013-14
£000’s
Main central grants Police grant 41,714 Department for Communities and Local Government 22,545 Council tax freeze grant 13/14 363 Council tax freeze grant 11/12 991 Community Safety Fund grant 477 Localisation grant 3,830 69,920 Local income Collection fund surplus 488 Council tax precept 36,287 36,775 Other central grants Helicopter Private Finance Initiative (PFI) 303 Security grant 1,145 Swindon PFI grant 2,067 3,515 Other income Interest receivable 277 Joint service control room recharge 442 Operational income 2,562 3,281 113,491
In the construct of this new office it was envisaged 2012 statement. This reduction is on top of the that other streams of income would be transferred continuing cuts in funding announced in the 2010 to the OPCC over time so that there would be one Comprehensive Spending Review. Latest forecasts central and co-ordinated approach to commissioning suggest that my cash funding may reduce by £3m services where funding comes from diverse parts of in 2014-15. When considering inflation this means government. that, in real terms, I will have £5m less with which to commission services. I have, of course, made Central funding is expected to reduce in 2014- the Chief Constable and the other commissioned 15. An additional £185m cut from the Home service providers aware of this position. Office budget was announced in the August
50 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Reserves that are held and transfer to him those reserves which are linked to an operational risk he carries. Reserves may either be ear-marked for a particular purpose or held as a general sum as a matter All the other reserves will be subject to review of prudence to cover unforeseen expenditure. within the commissioning process. Where additional Reserves are defined by CIPFA as; reserves are thought to be required, sums will be withheld to increase the reserve. However, where I ‘Amounts set aside for purposes falling outside the identify reserves which are greater than prudently definition of provisions should be considered as required, I will look to use them for ‘invest to save’ reserves, and transfers to and from them should be or ‘pump priming’ initiatives. What I will not do is use distinguished from service expenditure disclosed in reserves to fund recurring expenditure. I am keenly the Statement of Accounts. Expenditure should not aware of the projected income shortfall expected be charged direct to any reserve. For each reserve in future years, and it is for this reason that I have established, the purpose, usage and the basis of maintained the precept at the current level. transactions should be clearly identified. Reserves include earmarked reserves set aside for specific policy purposes and balances which represent Commissioned Services resources set aside for purposes such as general It will come as no surprise that the majority of contingencies and cash flow management.’ services will be commissioned from the Chief Constable. All reserves have been transferred to the Office of Wiltshire Police has had to make savings of the Police and Crime Commissioner, but this is only £15m over the past few years and it is likely that an interim arrangement. Those reserves which are settlements that I have in future years will be held against risk should be transferred to the body smaller. In consequence, there will be less for me to that holds that risk, and so I will review with the spend on commissioning services. For that reason, Chief Constable both general and specific reserves
Table 3: Forecast reserves
Forecast: 31 March 2013 Area Reserve name £000’s General reserve Capital fund reserve (3.5%) *note 1 3,734 Capital Capital development reserve *note 2 7,883 Contingency and risk Operational reserve (1%) *note 1 1,067 Contingency and risk Insurance, ill health, fleet and assets 911 Investment Regional developments and restructuring 8,141
Partnerships MAPPA, road safety and local partnerships *note 3 88 £21,824
Notes: 1. Funding set aside to cover the major risks following Treasurer and Auditor advice. 2. Funding set aside to assist in the funding of the capital programme to make unnecessary the need to borrow for this purpose. 3. Funds received from partners in Criminal Justice and local authorities for specific statutory functions.
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 51 Appendix B continued
part of the overall plan is to reduce demand for the The Chief Constable requires some certainty over services of a police force that will be smaller over the amount of money he will have in 2013/14 and time. However I am committed to providing sufficient has indicated that to provide the services I wish to financial resource to the Chief Constable for him to commission, he will require £104,779,000. The table maintain the front line establishment of officers in below shows a sub-division by percentage of the the current year. services to be provided by the Chief Constable:
Table 4: Budget for Element Expected to be Commissioned from Wiltshire Police
2012/13 2013/14 (£m) (£m) Police officers and police staff 88.160 86.712 Training/other employee expenses 1.565 1.500 Premises and transport 9.633 9.610 All other costs 12.124 11.589 Total costs 111.482 109.410 Less income -9.855 -4.631 Net costs 101.627 104.779
Table 5: Policing budget by activity
Local policing (including dealing with the 34.16% public)
Criminal justice 7.61%
Specialist policing - roads policing, 7.88% firearms and dogs
Intelligence 4.29%
Investigation 21.48%
National policing 0.68%
Back office (including support services) 21.19%
Capital finance and pensions 2.71%
52 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 The other bodies which are funded through the services to meet the mandate set by you, the public, OPCC have indicated their requirements to maintain on the election of a Commissioner. the levels of service they currently have. The amounts I have available have been set nationally, Capital and are shown above in the section ‘Income for 2013-14 and beyond’. The amount available for As will have been seen from the reserves section commissioned services in the coming year is (page 51) the PCC holds reserves specifically for therefore: capital expenditure. Each year we receive a grant from government which can only be used for capital Chief Constable £104,779,000 expenditure. We have no certainly over this figure (excluding in the future but it has been in the order of £1m. In specific grants) addition, in past years an amount has been ‘saved’ YOT and Community Safety £477,000 from the expenditure budget in this reserve and this Partnership is further augmented by receipts from when capital assets are sold, in the main disposals of parts of the The funds available for additional commissioning estate. and the commissioning costs represent the balance. The reserve can be used for new and replacement These all now need to be subject to the vehicles, computers, IT systems and buildings. commissioning process. It is not realistic to do all this commissioning at once and neither would You will see from the plan that my view of the estate one want all commissioned service agreements requirements is developing with my partners in to be co-terminus. I will therefore be setting out a Wiltshire and Swindon. In addition I believe that commissioning timetable with those whose funding substantial investment is needed in technology both source has now transferred to the OPCC, and in for the interface with the public and that used by the the interim will be providing funding with agreed Chief Constables officers whilst out and about. Just outcomes as we move in to the new financial year. like our own mobile technology, that of the force This will ensure that there is an orderly transition to dates quickly and further substantial investment will the commissioning era. That means commissioning be considered during the next four years.
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 53 Appendix C
Manifesto commitments and my pledges to you
In my manifesto I made five key commitments: 1. Maintaining front line officer strength to combat anti-social behaviour (ASB) and local crime 2. Strengthening neighbourhood teams and their operational links with partner agencies, embedding them in the communities they serve 3. Putting victims at the heart of the criminal justice process and improving services to both victims and witnesses 4. Working with other agencies to protect the most vulnerable in our society 5. Regularly consulting the public and ensuring effective communication with the public, which both I as Commissioner and the police serve.
Further pledges to you: 1. I will place great emphasis upon communities and community leadership, listening to your views on the best ways to maintain law and order and commissioning services to help you achieve it 2. I will do everything I can to encourage volunteering, either through individuals joining the police force as Special Constables, or communities sustaining vital voluntary schemes such as Street Watch, Neighbourhood Watch or Community Speed Watch 3. I will place great emphasis upon restorative justice outcomes and, wherever possible, give victims and communities a much greater say in the sanctions and punishments given to offenders. At the same time I will seek to commission services that help communities reduce offending in the first place 4. Offenders and particularly those who re-offend need alternatives. I will therefore commission services to help people stop their offending behaviour and become assets to, rather than problems, within their communities 5. I will prioritise action to improve the standards of customer service given to all those who receive policing and crime-related services 6. I will always remain conscious of the financial challenges posed by the current economic climate and pledge that any increases in the policing element of council tax during my term in office are justified by tangible additional benefits to communities.
54 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Appendix D
The initial proposed structure for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
Salary cost of proposed PCC office Post Salary Police and Crime Commissioner 70,000 Chief Executive 93,546 Treasurer 76,808 Principal Solicitor (non-contentious) 52,096 Commissioning Board Manager 35,576 Policy, Research and Consultation Officer 34,593 Appeals Adjudicator 8,660 Performance Analyst 25,742 Communications Officers (x 2 posts) 51,484 Personal Assistant to PCC and Chief Executive 21,318 Freedom of Information and Complaints Officer 21,001 Admin Assistant 17,915 Total 508,739 NB: Members’ allowances and the staffing for the Wiltshire Police Authority was £538,124
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 55 Appendix F Appendix E
Glossary
Anti-Social Behaviour Bill 2013 Draft legislation published for consultation in December 2012. It is designed to make it easier for statutory agencies to address anti-social behaviour, as well as giving communities greater power through the introduction of “Community Triggers” and victims choices over the penalties given to offenders through “Community Remedies”. The draft legislation rationalises nineteen existing powers down to essentially five: Criminal Behaviour Orders, Crime Prevention Injunctions, Community Protection Notices, Community Protection Orders and Direction / Dispersal powers. It also makes it easier for housing associations to evict tenants responsible for causing anti-social behaviour.
Asset Based Community Development A methodology that seeks to uncover and utilise the strengths within communities as a means for sustainable development. The first step in the process of community development is to assess the resources of a community through a capacity inventory or through another process of talking to residents to determine what types of skills and experience are available. The next step is to support communities to discover what they care enough about to act. The final step is to determine how citizens can act together to achieve those goals.
Bobby Van (Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust) A charitable trust, which works with Wiltshire Police and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service to install security and undertake fire risk assessments at the homes of vulnerable, elderly and disadvantaged people, who have either been or are considered at risk of becoming a victim of crime.
Criminal Behaviour Orders Part of the draft Anti-Social Behaviour Bill 2013, a Criminal Behaviour Order is available following a conviction for any criminal offence and can either prohibit the offender from causing further anti-social behaviour or exclude him or her from a designated area.
Crime Prevention Injunctions Part of the draft Anti-Social Behaviour Bill 2013, a Crime Prevention Injunction is a civil injunction, able to be sought by a wide range of agencies, and includes prohibitions or requirements that assist in the prevention of future anti-social behaviour. This could include, for example, a requirement to undertake drug or alcohol treatment.
Community Protection Notices Part of the draft Anti-Social Behaviour Bill 2013, a Community Protection Notice is available to a wide range of statutory agencies including housing associations and requires the recipient of a notice to stop doing whatever it is that is causing nuisance to the community. Breach of any requirement in the notice without a reasonable excuse would be a criminal offence subject to a fixed penalty notice or prosecution. 56 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Community Protection Orders Part of the draft Anti-Social Behaviour Bill 2013, Community Protection Orders fall into two categories (public space and closure). The “public space” category allows local authorities, in consultation with the police, to put in place local restrictions to address a range of anti-social behaviour issues in public places and prevent future problems e.g. drinking or dog control. The “closure” category allows the closure of premises for a period of up to 48 hours if there is a public nuisance or if there is likely to be disorder imminently and if the closure is necessary.
Community Remedies Part of the draft Anti-Social Behaviour Bill 2013, Community Remedies will give victims choices over the penalties given to offenders. This will allow victims to choose from a list agreed with the local police and crime commissioner. A typical ‘menu’ might include: the offender signing an acceptable behaviour contract; participation in structured activities such as alcohol or drug treatment; mediation – for example, to resolve a neighbour dispute; paying compensation to the victim (for example for any damage caused); reparation to the victim (for example repairing damage or cleaning graffiti off a wall) or reparation to the community (for example by doing local unpaid work for up to 10 hours).”
Community Safety Partnerships The 1998 Crime and Disorder Act acknowledged that the causes of crime and disorder are complex and varied and that achieving a reduction in crime and disorder should therefore not be a matter solely for the police. As a result the Act established Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) between the Police, Local Authorities, the Voluntary Sector, local residents and businesses and made them jointly responsible for reducing crime and disorder.
Community Speed Watch A speed education and enforcement scheme operated by communities, whereby community groups deploy speed detection equipment in their areas and speeding motorists receive warning letters from the police. If a motorist is found to be a regular offender, the police will then target the offending motorist with enforcement action and, where appropriate, prosecution.
Community Trigger Part of the draft Anti-Social Behaviour Bill 2013, the Community Trigger allows a group of at least five individuals from separate households to force statutory agencies to take action to address specific issues where they have failed to do so after three separate complaints about the matter.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System A system used to keep a record of customer contacts so that the organisation providing the service knows a customer’s history and can therefore provide a more informed service in subsequent contacts. In the policing and crime space this can help to identify patterns of vulnerability and therefore trigger specific policing services to help address them.
Digital by Default The Cabinet Office’s November 2012 strategy to make online and mobile communication channels the default way for the public to access transactional services from public agencies e.g. online tax self- 2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 57 Appendix E continued
assessment, online road fund licence renewal and, in the police and crime space, areas such as firearms licensing, information disclosure and keeping victims and witnesses up-to-date with their cases. Where members of the public do not have their own access to these digital media, the strategy encourages local authorities and other partners to facilitate this through libraries and other community facilities.
Evidence-Based Policing Policing interventions based upon empirical research, which is able to determine with sufficient confidence whether certain interventions are likely to be successful or not. It is largely based upon the medical model of controlled tests to determine the efficacy of particular medical treatments.There is a growing body of evidence-based policing practitioners linked to the College of Policing.
Good Neighbour Scheme A scheme primarily aimed at helping older people who may be vulnerable or at risk of becoming vulnerable. The service seeks to establish a trusted and effective bridge between vulnerable individuals and the statutory services and local voluntary organisations that are able to offer help and support.
Independent Custody Visitors Make unannounced visits to custody to check on the welfare of detainees.
Life Project A project operating in Swindon working with a number of families facing multiple difficulties e.g. unemployment or drug and alcohol addiction. The project works intensively with these families in order to try to help them address their various difficulties and be better equipped for dealing with the future.A similar approach is operating in Wiltshire under the banner of the “Troubled Families” programme.
Neighbourhood Justice Panels A local authority-led initiative currently operating in Swindon and other locations across the country, which brings offenders and victims together face to face in order to try and achieve an agreed resolution to low level offending. The scheme uses trained volunteers to help facilitate these meetings.
Neighbourhood Watch and Home Watch The Neighbourhood Watch and Home Watch Network is a registered charity, whose mission is to help communities make the areas where they live safe, friendly and pleasant places to be. It encourages communities to set up groups, owned and run by the people of these communities themselves, whose purpose is to make sure that no one has to feel afraid, vulnerable or isolated in the place where they live. They are about people looking out for each other, crossing barriers of age, race and class to create real communities that benefit everyone.
Prison Gate Advocacy or Mentorship This is the practice, recommended by the Justice Secretary, of meeting prisoners upon release and providing appropriate support to help them get their lives back on track. Without such support e.g. housing 58 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 or treatment services, prisoners often revert to the same support networks that contributed to their offending lifestyles in the first place and therefore soon find themselves back in prison.
Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 Legislation which allows courts to confiscate assets gained through criminal activity.
Protective Services The term used to refer to major threats to public safety including counter-terrorism and domestic extremism, serious organised and cross-border crime, civil contingencies and emergency planning, critical incident management, major crime, public order, strategic roads policing and protecting vulnerable people.
Purple Flag A new accreditation scheme that recognises excellence in the management of town and city centres at night. Entertainment areas that achieve the standard will be those that offer a better night out to visitors. Purple Flag aims to raise standards and improve the quality of our towns and cities at night. It is similar to the “Blue Flag” scheme for beaches.
Resilient Communities Partnership The Resilient Communities Partnership (RCP) is one of six thematic delivery partnerships which sit within Wiltshire’s ‘family of partnerships’ under the Wiltshire Assembly. It includes members from Wiltshire Council, other statutory bodies, organisations from the voluntary and community sector, registered social landlords (RSLs) and the Community Safety Partnership. The RCP meets regularly to enable members to agree priorities and actions which will contribute to Wiltshire’s vision for resilient communities. It oversees the delivery of these activities to ensure that they stay on track and deliver their intended results. It has four strategic aims: building a strong and vibrant voluntary and community sector; tackling inequalities to create stronger and more inclusive communities; extending and supporting local involvement in decision-making services and the delivery of solutions; and developing lively communities through participation in arts and culture.
Restorative Justice Is an approach to justice that focuses on the needs of the victims and the offenders, as well as the involved community. Victims take an active role in the process, while offenders are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions and to repair the harm they have done, for example by apologising, returning stolen money, or performing community service. In addition, it provides help for the offender in order to avoid future offences. Restorative justice that fosters dialogue between victim and offender shows the highest rates of victim satisfaction and offender accountability. Restorative justice is normally only used for lower level offences and is not appropriate in all cases. It can be exercised at three levels: through local resolution under the auspices of the police, through community-based resolutions e.g. neighbourhood justice panels above or court-based restorative justice solutions.
Safer Community Teams Multi-agency teams whose purpose it is to address community issues and enhance community safety. In the context of this plan the proposal is to put current neighbourhood policing team resources alongside those of other agencies such as local authorities in order to provide a more resilient and multi-skilled response to community issues. 2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 59 Appendix E continued
Safe Places Scheme This is a nationwide project to enable people with learning disabilities to deal with any incident that takes place whilst they are out and about in the community. Incidents could range from harassment or bullying to just needing directions. The scheme operates by having shops and other premises displaying a “Safe Places Scheme” badge where people with learning disabilities can seek refuge and receive assistance.
Special Constabulary This is the part-time volunteer section of a statutory police force in the United Kingdom. Special constables give a minimum of 16 hours per month on a voluntary basis and have the same powers as police officers within the full-time paid Constabulary.
SPLASH A registered charity that promotes inclusion and development through a programme of activities for young people in the school holidays, for the well being of the whole community. It supports young people between the ages of 10-16 and organises holiday activities which aim to attract young people into positive and inspiring leisure activities and divert them from negative and anti-social behaviour.
Strategic Policing Requirement A set of operational capabilities and capacities set down by the Home Secretary as being required from each police force in the country. It focuses on those areas where government has a responsibility for ensuring that sufficient capabilities are in place to respond to serious and cross-boundary criminality and in support of the work of national agencies such as the National Crime Agency.
Street Watch Street Watch is a community-led initiative based upon regulated, civilian street patrols. The members are citizens with no police powers, who provide a visible presence, demonstrate a real care for their communities and are able to report any suspicious activity to the police.
Swindon Compact Agreement on relations between the voluntary and community sector and the statutory sector in Swindon
SWITCH (Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Targets for Change) A multi-agency team working together to reduce levels of re-offending amongst our most prolific offenders. The agencies involved are police, probation, the prison service, Health and local authorities, together with a number of other partnership agencies which provide support for offenders. SWITCH work closely with repeat offenders to identify their main causes of reoffending. Once adopted on to the scheme the Case/ Offender Managers work with the offender to establish their individual needs and reasons for offending. Intervention and support is tailored to the individual offender based on the identified ‘pathways’ to reduce offending.
60 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017 Systems Thinking Review A review that looks at current services from the outside-in, focusing upon outcomes and what really adds value to the customer. It then looks to redesign systems and processes to achieve these outcomes in the most efficient and effective way. This often means breaking down barriers between organisations or between different departments of the same organisation.
Touch2ID Is an anonymous proof of age system that uses fingerprint biometrics to allow young people to prove that they are 18 years or over at licensed premises e.g. bars and clubs.
Victim Surcharge An amount, which is added to the fine imposed by courts for criminal offences and is used to fund victim support services.
Wiltshire Compact Agreement between local public sector bodies and organisations of the voluntary and community sector to support and improve partnership working between the sectors
2013 - 2017 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 61 Appendix F
How to make contact
Regular consultation with the public is a key requirement of the new Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner. This will inform the level of the precept for the police element of council tax, the services I commission and any amendments to this plan during my period of office. My physical office will be in Devizes, right at the centre of the county, but I do need an established presence around the county. I have decided that I will use the existing network of Wiltshire Area Boards and Swindon Locality meetings as my primary points of personal contact with the public. These meetings are held quarterly all over the county, and my office will attend for the half hour before the meeting for consultations. There will be written reports to the meetings and I hope to address Area Board or Locality meetings annually. There is a great deal more information about the office and what I have been doing, or will be doing, on my website www.wiltshire-pcc.gov.uk. You can also get in touch using ‘Contact us’ enquiry form. The office address is: Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, London Road, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 2RD Telephone: 01380 734 022 Email: [email protected] I will be consulting through a number of other routes:
Youth Business Rural Victims’ Forum Community Forum Forum
Community Area voluntary Boards and sector Localities
My office has a list of organisations that sit behind each of the above. Please do check that you or your organisation is on the listing to ensure your participation in events and meetings. My website has a diary of events and I will be pleased to attend your conference, meeting or event, if I possibly can, to promote the reduction crime and anti-social behaviour.
62 Wiltshire and Swindon draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 - 2017
Police & Crime Commissioner pfor Wiltshirec and Swindonc
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner London Road, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 2RD Tel: 01380 734022 Website: www.wiltshire-pcc.gov.uk