Agenda item

Jane Anderson was appointed by the previous Police & Crime Commissioner to the role of Assistant Police & Crime Commissioner (Victims). PCC David Munro has extended the APCC’s short term contract until the end of the financial year.  The PCC has agreed to provide the Panel with progress made by his APCC and the work undertaken by his APCC.

Keys points raised during the discussion:

1.    The Assistant PCC for Victims introduced the report and informed Members that her role ensured the voice of the victim was at the heart of the service. The APCC emphasised a considerable amount of her time was spent speaking to victims, in particular vulnerable victims of domestic abuse, rape and sexual assault.

2.    The APCC explained that her contribution in this area involved putting the victim’s experiences on record, then using this knowledge to influence decision making.

3.    The PCC commended the work of the Assistant PCC for Victims, informing the Panel that in the community Jane Anderson was held in very high regard and was pleased to have her as part of the team in Surrey Police.

4.    The APCC was asked to provide the Panel with details on her biggest achievement for 2016. Members were informed that the Assistant PCC’s biggest achievement was her work around Child Sexual Exploitation and the time that was spent with victims of this crime which led to more funding for this area.

5.    The Panel also noted that the Assistant PCC’s contribution towards rape victims provided better understanding and training back into the police service. The APCC was also one of the only people to have access to speak with victims of rape. The APCC also explained that she would be meeting with women from BME backgrounds in Woking to speak about domestic violence and the support available.

6.    A Member queried the APCC on what improvements had been identified as a result of her work. The Panel were informed that victims were pleased with the response they received when reporting crimes such as rape and domestic violence. The Assistant PCC reported that this was an improvement from previous years with improved feedback.

7.    There was a discussion around the drop in victim satisfaction from 81% to 79% for the year and what the Assistant PCC for victims can do to ensure this is improved. Members were advised that the APCC ensured that the voices of victims was heard by the Police service. The feedback from victims is directly targeted at police training.  Any gaps that need attention are raised with the PCC and CEX to ensure resources are targeted appropriately.

8.    The Panel noted that Surrey Police undergo mandatory victim surveying which is contracted and conducted by an external, independent service. Officers indicated it was difficult to assess these results as there was a time lapse between the results and reporting, however the force has a programme in place to improve this.

9.    A Member of the Panel stated her involvement with the Woking People of Faith Forum and how there has been no reference to the work Assistant PCC for Victims in that context. The Officer explained that faith groups was a difficult territory to gain access to, taking years to build a strong relationship. The Assistant PCC for victims welcomed any contacts in this area.

10.  The Vice - Chairman raised a concern with the distinction made between high level crime and low level crime and wanted assurance from the APCC that any type of crime would be treated equally from a victim’s point of view.

11.  The APCC was requested to provide the Panel with details of any training she has organised for police officers. The APCC explained that she did not organise training but contributed material towards training sessions.

RESOLVED:

The Panel noted the update report.

ACTIONS/FURTHER INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED:

None.