To receive an update from Chief Constable Catherine Roper.
If you would like to submit a question in advance for the Chief Constable, please could you do so by emailing areaboards@wiltshire.gov.uk by 9 December.
Minutes:
Inspector Scott Anger and Sergeant James Osment gave an update on behalf of the neighbourhood police team. Points included:
· Inspector Anger thanked Sergeant Osment, who would be leaving the team in January after covering maternity leave for Sergeant Kate Smith.
· A number of proactive operations had taken place in October and November, including rural crime and safer business weeks.
· Several initiatives had been undertaken to tackle the issue of County Lines, including an educational programme in local schools about the dangers of drug usage.
· A community protection notice had been issued for an individual in Cowleaze.
· There were several engagement sessions scheduled in villages in the run up to Christmas, including one at Toomers Garden Centre in Lydiard Millicent on 18 December.
Chief Constable Catherine Roper then joined Inspector Anger and Seargent Osment in answering queries. During the discussion, points included:
· Thanks were given to the police for their update.
· It was confirmed that thefts from vehicles were not recorded as burglaries.
· In response to queries about an incident where 12 vehicles were targeted in Royal Wootton Bassett, it was explained that the suspect had travelled to the area from Hampshire and was wanted in connection with 22 other offences. High quality doorbell footage had been used to provide evidence.
· When asked about why there were no longer separate Royal Wootton Bassett Town and Rural police teams in addition to a team for Purton and Cricklade, it was explained that the neighbourhood team had previously been larger. There had been three teams, including one which also focussed on the Malmesbury area. It was explained that there had been a restructure in Wiltshire Police splitting the former community policing teams into neighbourhood teams and response teams. Although the neighbourhood teams were smaller than the community policing teams, many of their responsibilities had been transferred to the new response teams. The local response team also operated in the Area Board’s area.
· Seargent Osment offered to contact Cricklade Town Council to speak about how they could make the best use of data from their Speed Indicator Devices.
The Chief Constable then gave an overview of the progress that had been made in Wiltshire Police since 2022. Points included:
· Wiltshire Police had been put in the ENGAGE ‘special measures’ process in 2022 following a Police Effectiveness, Efficiency and Legitimacy (PEEL) inspection. The Chief Constable was pleased to report that the force had come out of the ENGAGE Process in May 2024, following their most recent PEEL inspection. The results of the latest inspection were published in August and showed the significant improvements that had been made since 2022. A copy of the press release and report were available online.
· Significant improvement had been made in seven of the nine areas of the report and it had been recognised that the foundations had been laid for improvement in the other two areas.
· In August Wiltshire Police had been the second worst police force out of the 43 forces in England and Wales in terms of the time it took to answer 999 calls. By September 2024 they had risen to the thirty third best and they were now seventeenth best. The call abandonment rate had also improved.
· Another recent inspection into how Wiltshire Police was responding to reports of serious sexual offences had found that the force had delivered on a series of recommendations made during a previous inspection.
· Cllr Steve Bucknell held Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson OBE, to account on behalf of the public in his role as Chairman of Wiltshire Police and Crime Panel. The Police and Crime Commissioner then held the Chief Constable to account for delivering a good service and meeting the targets in his crime plan.
During the discussion, the following points were raised:
· When asked by Angela Jensen, Vice-Chairman on Cricklade Town Council, about an initiative to tackle violence against women and girls, the Chief Constable explained that there had recently been 16 days of action focussing on the issue. Through Operation Vigilant, the police went into venues used in the nighttime economy to help to identify oppressive behaviours. An independent advisory group had also been established to challenge the police about where further improvements could be made in tackling the issue and in supporting victims and their families. A detective chief inspector had been appointed to specifically coordinate the work on this issue.
· In response to a question about threats to women in public life, the Chief Constable was pleased to report that there had not been many reports of threats in Wiltshire, but she was aware that nationally there had been increasing concern about the issue.
· The Area Board noted that the police force had improved its visibility in the community in recent years.
· The Chairman took the opportunity to thank Sergeant Osment for his work over the past few months and sent him best wishes for his next role.
· Cllr Steve Bucknell emphasised the importance of policing by consent. He noted that there was often a perception on social media that the council and the police were separate from the public. He felt that everyone should see themselves as having a part to play in policing by reporting issues.
· The public were encouraged to report any instances of door-to-door sales where the seller did not have an appropriate licence, especially in cases where they were pressuring vulnerable people to purchase goods. It was asked whether further information about the required documentation for door-to-door salespeople could be provided to a future Area Board.
· The Chief Constable thanked the Area Board for inviting her and stated that she would try to visit again in future when commitments allowed. She emphasised that the police were regularly reviewing their performance and that they wanted to provide the best possible service.