Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster is hosting a series of meetings with parish and town councillors as part of her determination to secure strong local policing for all areas of Derbyshire.
The Police and Crime Commissioner is meeting local councillors from every corner of the county to introduce herself and personally present her Police and Crime Plan to explain how it will benefit the communities they represent. The meetings, which are attended by representatives of the local Safer Neighbourhood Teams, also provide an ideal platform for strengthening the relationship between local representatives and the police.
Additionally, councillors have the opportunity to share their views and concerns on crime and safety in the areas they represent to both the Police and Crime Commissioner and their local police.
Meetings have taken place across the county, including in Erewash during which time, the Police and Crime Commissioner met district and parish councillors who have a deep insight into the issues impacting their communities.
The meetings have also been attended by members of the Safer Neighbourhood Teams in each area to help raise awareness of the work they are doing to deliver on the Commissioner's Police and Crime Plan, increase visibility and familiarity with local officers and to help identify local problems so they can be tackled effectively.
Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster has promised to deliver a stronger frontline policing presence across the county and act on the concerns and feedback she receives from the public.
Her Police and Crime Plan puts law-abiding citizens and victims of crime at the heart of policing and community safety, outlining six key priorities: strong local policing, neighbourhood crime and anti-social behaviour, road safety, victim support and safeguarding, rural crime and driving efficiencies.
She said: "As Police and Crime Commissioner my role it to represent the public in policing and hold the force to account to ensure the service local people receive is of the highest standard. Above all, my focus is on keeping our communities safe. To do that effectively I need to hear directly from them and their local representatives about the problems they are experiencing in their communities.
"Our parish and town councillors work very hard on behalf of local people to improve their local areas. They have a deep insight and understanding into the issues that can impact their communities and so I am keen to involve them as local partners.
"These meetings have also enabled councillors to directly question the force on policing issues in their parish and helped to strengthen relationships to promote partnership working.
"These meetings are part of a programme of engagement that is enabling me to meet people from all corners of the county, to hear their views on policing and community safety."