Agenda item

The Police and Crime Panel for Surrey scrutinises the work of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Surrey, Kevin Hurley, overseeing progress against the published Police and Crime Plan.

In March 2015 the PCC reviewed and updated the Police and Crime Plan to put additional focus on:

·         Improving funding for Surrey Police

·         Joint Enforcement and Joint Working

·         Embedding victim services and developing support for children

·         Roads Policing

·         Counter Terrorism

Key points raised during the discussions:

·         The Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) expressed his delight with the 2015 Autumn Financial Statement. 

·         The Vice Chairman asked whether the PCSOs were disappearing and the PCC noted that some PCSO roles would either be reduced or redeployed to other areas of work, however in light of the 2015 Autumn Statement the force may have more flexibility and will better understand the budget situation on 17 December. For the meantime, the PCC noted that the PCSOs numbers were at the same levels.

·         The PCC informed the Panel that Katie Kempen had taken the lead of the Victim Support Service through a Joint Partnership. There was a joint commissioning with Thames Valley and Sussex PCCs to ensure that the £4 million pounds to deliver the programme was being spent efficiently.

·         The PCC informed the Panel of the compensation revenue of Surrey Police in 2014. £200,000 was left for operational policing which was split four-ways to invest in facilities such as police vehicles that displays that ‘crime pays’ using funds from speed camera fines and money going into North, East and West divisions of operations.

The PCC stated that he has attempted to lobby the government for an increase in the percentage of revenue allocated to Surrey Police because it was a source of income. The PCC also informed the Panel that the Drive Smart scheme was partly funded by the driver awareness courses and speed camera fines; however there is only a small amount of money left over. 

·         A Panel member voiced concern that the money generated should be spent on bringing officers on patrol in the public, as per the People’s Priorities. The PCC noted that they are investing in visible policing in terms of purchasing and using vehicles with police officers in the vehicles.

·         The Chairman queried the wording of the report particularly in relation to the use of the phrase that the increase in hate crime was ‘encouraging’. The PCC noted the Chairman’s concerns and will change the wording to reflect that it was encouraging that the reporting of the crime had increased.

·         The Panel noted in the report that there was a continued poor performance of detecting robberies and burglaries. The PCC noted that burglaries have decreased by 25 per cent in three years and that the crime scene investigators which are jointly owned with Sussex were under review. The PCC emphasised that there were no mechanisms for comparison, however the force were looking into it.

·         The Deputy PCC raised the concern for vulnerable people with mental health issues who walk out of hospitals and children’s homes, as the Police have to be called out to search for the missing patients. The Chairman noted that the Social Care Services Board was working on mental health.

·         The Panel raised concern that sex-related crime had increased. The Deputy PCC noted that the figures had increased due to more people coming forward to report it. The Deputy PCC added that investigators have more work to do in this area of crime so the Force will move more of its staff into public protection.

·         The PCC informed the Panel that he would send a copy of the evaluation report of the Joint Enforcement Team (JET). The PCC also informed the Panel that Surrey Police focused their efforts on sexual violence crimes in summer 2015 which has impeded on the detection rates of other types of crimes such as burglaries. The PCC reaffirmed the Deputy PCC’s comments that Surrey Police were moving more resources into investigating sexual violent crimes to deal with the increase of reportings. However, dealing with burglary remained a priority as well.

·         A Panel member expressed concern over the PCC’s views on police officers carrying firearms. The PCC responded that the officers need better equipment and that the officers were not equipped or ready to deal with threats from terrorism of the nature that had been seen recently in Paris.

The PCC noted that he had raised and campaigned on the issue for the past three years. The PCC informed the Panel that he had received a letter of support from a Firearms Officer. Furthermore, the PCC emphasised that the public need to know the importance of equipping or upgrading the equipment of police officers.

·         The PCC stated that the invite to the JET showcase had been sent out to councillors and members, but due to poor uptake for the December date, they would reschedule in 2016.

·         Panel members asked about Community Safety Fund projects that were due to be funded and the Deputy PCC said that specifics could be discussed outside of the meeting, but that the funding had been reported back to the Panel over three years.

·         A Panel member noted her praise for the Safe Drive Stay Alive event in Dorking, however they expressed disappointment that the presentation had recently been changed.

·         The PCC explained to the Panel that they were conducting a review into designating powers for PCSOs and the Police are supportive of the JET.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

            None.

ACTIONS/FURTHER INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED:

1.    The Chairman will circulate the letter from Mike Penning.

2.    The PCC will bring in a mobile data terminal at the next meeting to demonstrate to the Panel.

3.    OPCC to report back to the Panel about cumulative Community Safety Funding.

PANEL NEXT STEPS:

            None.