The Policing Pledge

    

It has been developed by the Home Office, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the Association of Police Authorities (APA) to reflect local priorities for policing and map out a very clear commitment to delivering a first class policing service to local communities. 

The detailed Policing Pledge acts as a 'contract with communities' and all 43 Police Forces across England and Wales have signed up to deliver the pledge for their communities by the end of 2008.  The concept of the Policing Pledge fits in with the Citizen Focus Policing agenda which is being developed by police forces nationally arising from the Government Green Paper on police reform and modernisation:  "From the Neighbourhood to the National. Policing Our Communities Together."  It follows a report from the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, who called for the service to become more "customer-focused".

Cleveland Police will meet minimum targets in key areas such as quality of service, call and incident handling, and keeping victims of crime updated with the progress of investigations.  With the high level ambition to: "Support Law Abiding Citizens and Pursue Criminals Relentlessly to keep your Neighbourhoods Safe from Harm", the Policing Pledge sets out a number of new and important responsibilities for Cleveland Police, specifically to:

1. Always treat individuals fairly and with dignity and respect ensuring that they have fair access to our services at a time that is reasonable and suitable for them;

2. Provide communities with information so it is known who dedicated Neighbourhood Policing Team members are, where they are based, how to contact them and how to work with them;

3. Ensure that Neighbourhood Policing Teams and other police patrols are visible within neighbourhoods at times when they will be most effective and when communities tell us that they most need them. Ensuring that Neighbourhood Policing Teams are not taken away from neighbourhood business more than is absolutely necessary. They will spend at least 80% of their time visibly working within neighbourhoods, tackling local priorities. Staff turnover will be minimised ensuring greater continuity with police officers, PCSOs and special constables;

4. Respond to every message directed to Neighbourhood Policing Team within 24 hours and, where necessary, provide a more detailed response as soon as we can;

5. Aim to answer 999 calls within 10 seconds, deploying to emergencies immediately giving an estimated time of arrival, getting there safely, and as quickly as possible. In urban areas, we will aim to arrive within 15 minutes and in rural areas within 20 minutes;

6. Answer all non-emergency calls promptly. If attendance is needed, send a patrol providing an estimated time of arrival, and:

• If vulnerable or upset aim to arrive within 60 minutes;
• If calling about an issue that we have agreed with the local community will be a neighbourhood priority and attendance is required, we will aim to arrive within 60 minutes;
• Alternatively, if appropriate, we will make an appointment to meet at a time that is convenient and within 48 hours; and
• If agreed that attendance is not necessary we will provide advice, answer questions and/or put communities in touch with someone who can help.

7.  Arrange regular public meetings to agree local priorities, at least once a month, providing a chance to meet local policing teams and other members of the community. These will include opportunities such as surgeries, street briefings and mobile police station visits which will be arranged to meet local needs and requirements;

8.  Provide monthly updates on progress, and on local crime and policing issues. This will include the provision of crime maps, information on specific crimes and what happened to those brought to justice, details of what action we and our partners are taking to make neighbourhoods safer and information on how the Force is performing;

9.  For victims of crime, agree with you how often you would like to be kept informed of progress in your case and for how long. Victims of crime have the right to be kept informed at least every month and for as long as is reasonable;

10.  Acknowledge any dissatisfaction with the service that has been received within 24 hours of reporting it to us. To help us fully resolve the matter, discuss how it will be handled, provide an opportunity to talk in person to someone about concerns and agree what will be done about them and how quickly.

Speaking about the introduction of the Policing Pledge across the Cleveland policing area, Assistant Chief Constable Sean White said:  “We aren’t complacent about the service we provide and we are always striving to achieve improvements. Under the Policing Pledge, members of the public can expect better communication, a wider range of opportunities to discuss the issues that concern them, more information about crime issues in their area and an overall improved, more citizen focused policing service. 

"Our communities often have very specific concerns which, however large or small they seem as part of the overall crime picture, are crucially important to them and their quality of life. It is up to us to fully engage with people, address those concerns and agree a plan of action.  Neighbourhood Policing Teams have led the way in forging stronger local community links. The Policing Pledge takes us up another level and once rolled out across the Cleveland Policing area will ensure that we are fully engaged with the public, giving them significant influence and power to shape local policing."