PCC hails Neighbourhood Policing Week as invaluable chance to shine spotlight on local teams
22.01.24 - Merseyside
Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell says a special week of action focusing on local policing teams presents a perfect opportunity to shine the spotlight on the commitment of community officers across Merseyside.
Merseyside Police is joining forces up and down the country to support ‘Neighbourhood Policing Week’ – a national week of action aimed at highlighting the positive impact that neighbourhood policing has on communities throughout the year by reducing crime and keeping people safe.
Starting today (Monday 22 January), local officers will share examples on the force’s social media accounts of the work that they do and the variety of places they patrol.
They will illustrate how they are tackling the crime and anti-social behaviour issues affecting local neighbourhoods and some of the partnership work being done to help make Merseyside a safer and pleasant place to live, work and visit.
Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “Neighbourhood Policing Week is a chance to shine a spotlight on the invaluable work local police officers, PCSOs and Specials do, day in day out, to keep our communities safe.
“I know how much people value seeing officers on our streets, responding to reports, reassuring residents, and working together to tackle local issues and that is why one of my top priorities is providing a local police service that is accessible and visible to everyone.
“A wide range of activity is scheduled to take place throughout the week, and I look forward to seeing how Merseyside Police showcases this vital work.
"From the relentless pursuit of a suspect, to working with members of the public to piece together the details of a crime, to supporting and reassuring those affected and opening those lines of communication to prevent crime from happening in the first place.”
Chief Superintendent Zoe Thornton, Head of Local Policing for Liverpool, said: “Whilst every week in policing is a week of action, Neighbourhood Policing Week gives us the opportunity to recognise the outstanding work that officers and staff are doing in our communities every day.
“Nobody knows our local neighbourhoods better than our Local Policing teams. We value local knowledge because it helps us to connect with our communities and respond to their concerns.
"We also know there is no better way of addressing crime and anti-social behaviour issues than by preventing them from occurring in the first place – it is local knowledge that helps us do this.
“This process of engaging with our communities, listening to their concerns, problem-solving with partners and positive police action is the most effective way of addressing local issues. It is why in August 2023, Merseyside Police carried out its latest Perceptions Survey, which helps us understand the views of residents across Merseyside on various aspects of the policing service delivered by the force.
“This latest survey focused on the topics of confidence, safety, efficiency and what the community believe our priorities should be, and I am pleased to say that 86% of respondents stated that Merseyside Police has their support. Respondents also considered the force to be doing a good job at tackling serious and organised crime (78%), responding to emergencies (75%), and investigating crime (69%).
“But we also know that people want to see more of us in their neighbourhood, and they are interested in the ways that local police are tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in their area.
"The provision of visible and accessible neighbourhood policing is a priority for Merseyside Police and this week is an ideal opportunity to demonstrate that high visibility patrols are being carried out by officers from variety of teams on a daily basis, and that we are engaging with communities and tackling the issues that affect them throughout the year.”