{"id":4058,"date":"2021-04-08T15:47:42","date_gmt":"2021-04-08T15:47:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/policecommissioner.net\/im-on-the-starting-grid\/"},"modified":"2024-02-16T16:56:24","modified_gmt":"2024-02-16T16:56:24","slug":"im-on-the-starting-grid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/policecommissioner.net\/im-on-the-starting-grid\/","title":{"rendered":"I’m on the starting grid…"},"content":{"rendered":"
I have been honoured to serve as your Independent Police and Crime Commissioner since 2012.<\/p>\n
I have kept my word, delivered everything I promised and kept party politics out of local policing.<\/p>\n
I hope you will let me continue.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Austerity saw a reduction of 249 police officers in Gloucestershire and a cut of \u00a332 million to their annual budget.<\/p>\n
Those were tough times but step by step we\u2019re growing again, however government policy has seen taxation shift from central government to your council tax.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
When I took office Gloucestershire had the 14th lowest crime rate in England and Wales, now it\u2019s the 5th lowest and though crime has begun to rise, Gloucestershire has seen the second lowest increase. (ONS data)<\/p>\n
I believe in showing you the full context and not just statistics that fit a certain narrative, that\\’s why my office recently prepared a report<\/a> to the Police & Crime Panel which gave the full context.<\/p>\n We should be proud of this. Gloucestershire is a good place to live, work and bring up a family.<\/p>\n I have a really good relationship with the voluntary sector to whom I kept my promise to put them on the top table with local councils and others.<\/p>\n My office has worked with partners to commission and co-produce services and projects aimed at keeping our county safe.<\/p>\n We\\’ve invested over \u00a32.5 million in 77 different projects aimed at tackling anti social behaviour, but these kinds of initiatives cannot and shouldn\\’t be left to the police solely to run, that is why my office has invested in community safety partnerships and Safer Gloucestershire<\/a>.<\/p>\n My challenge to the Gloucestershire Constabulary is to demonstrate to you that \u2018every crime matters\u2019<\/a>. Why? Because \u2018every victim matters\u2019.<\/p>\n When I set burglary as a priority the police knew exactly what to do, the same for rural organised crime.<\/p>\n But we can do better! The challenge of \u2018Every crime matters\u2019 is far tougher.<\/p>\n Success will take absolute commitment, experience and skill. Not because the resources that go into a murder will be the same as a shoplifter, but because if you ignore minor crimes the rot sets in and our quality of life deteriorates.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll work for you and with you, for the whole County; be it rural or urban.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll work with all parties but I can only do this because I\u2019m elected and Independent.<\/p>\nPartnership working<\/h3>\n
After a decade of cuts – we\\’re building back<\/h3>\n
My forms are in<\/h3>\n