Derbyshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster is to scrutinise Derbyshire Constabulary’s work in relation to violence against women and girls (VAWG) at her Performance Scrutiny Meeting in November.
Commissioner Angelique Foster’s role is to hold the Chief Constable Rachel Swann to account for delivering against the priorities set out in her Police and Crime Plan. A series of subject-specific meetings have been arranged to ensure there is detailed scrutiny of the force’s performance.
Members of the public are invited to submit questions ahead of the meeting, which will be held virtually, on 3 November 2022 at 2.30pm.
Questions should be submitted in writing and cannot be in relation to current investigations.
Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster said: “I want every woman and girl in Derbyshire to feel protected and supported. Increasing the safety of women and girls features strongly in my Police and Crime Plan under my Safeguarding priority and I am determined to help challenge the behaviour and attitudes that motivate crimes against women and girls.
“A lot has changed since I was elected in May 2021. I have been working with the force and our partners agencies on a Derbyshire specific strategy to improve how we tackle violence against women and girls. Earlier this year, I announced the creation of a Stalking Co-ordinator post to increase support for victims of stalking and harassment and deliver a consistently high quality of investigation across the force. To provide enhanced independent support to those affected, I secured extra funding from the Government for an Independent Stalking Advocate for County and I have directly funded a second post, dedicated to Derby City.
“The budget I set this year funded the force’s new Domestic Abuse Review Team (DART), which launched in November 2021 and reviews domestic abuse cases to ensure vulnerable victims of abuse receive appropriate care and safeguarding measures.
“There are now additional night-time patrols and a tough focus on offender management. The force has developed a comprehensive multi-agency plan to tackle violence against women and girls and my team will be hosting a conference to bring safety leads together and help bring the change needed to prevent these crimes.
“The way we respond to violence against women and girls has a significant impact on confidence and feelings of safety in our communities and trust in the police. My role is to consistently challenge the Chief Constable to ensure the force is maximising its resources to tackle this issue effectively. My Performance Scrutiny Meetings provide me with an opportunity to hold the force to account on this progress and identify where further improvement is needed.
“Local people are invited to submit their own questions to the Chief Constable and her team through my office to raise any concerns they have on this issue with the assurance they will be discussed at a senior level.”
The meeting will be recorded and published via the Commissioner’s website and social media channels as soon as possible after its conclusion.
The deadline for submission of all questions is Monday 3 October 2022. To submit your questions, please visit – https://bit.ly/PSMQuestionsNov2022
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