Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster is set to scrutinise the force’s improvements in tackling rural crime in a performance meeting later this year.
The Commissioner will receive a detailed update from Derbyshire Constabulary on the impact of her investment in tackling rural crime in her latest Performance Scrutiny Meeting (PSM).
The meeting will be held virtually on Wednesday 4th October and members of the public are invited to submit questions ahead of the event for the Commissioner, Chief Constable or senior officers to respond.
Rural crime is a key priority in the Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan. She is determined to deliver a high-quality, consistent policing service to all rural communities, wherever they are located in the county.
Since her election in 2021, the Commissioner has rolled out new and innovative resources to help officers better protect rural communities. This has included the addition of new officers, training and vehicles/technology to improve the force’s effectiveness at tackling rural crime and increasing public confidence.
Her most recent investment includes the launch of a new network of 13 rural crime SPOC (Single Point of Contact) officers based in the High Peak, Derbyshire Dales, Amber Valley, North East, Ilkeston and South Derbyshire Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs). These officers are receiving specialist training on rural issues including wildlife crime to better serve their communities
The Commissioner has also supported the launch of a new permanent shift pattern for the Rural Crime Team (RCT) to extend the team’s operating hours. The change will provide greater flexibility in deployment and enhance coverage later into the evening and night. In addition, the force’s RCT has welcomed a new Rural Crime Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) who is spearheading a series of crime prevention initiatives including the roll out of track marking equipment to proactively tackle thefts impacting the equine community.
Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster said: “Rural crime remains a key priority and I will continue to hold the Chief Constable to account to ensure rural residents receive the strong and effective response they are entitled to.
“Over the past two years, I have increased the capabilities and resilience of our Rural Crime Team, investing in new roles, training and advanced technology to maximise their investigative work. We have already seen the results of this expansion with several prosecutions and the recovery of thousands of pounds worth of stolen machinery and equipment.
“I am determined for the hard work to continue and will be examining any areas where further support or progress is needed to push our success even further.”
In other developments, the Commissioner has supported the training of 14 additional officers across the force in wildlife crime. These officers now act as points of contact on a variety of front-line response issues.
She also continues to fund ‘The Willow Project’ which is delivered by Rural Action Derbyshire. The project raises awareness of domestic abuse and provides specialist training to residents within rural communities.
PSMs provide a platform for the Commissioner to hold Chief Constable Rachel Swann to account for progress made against her improvement plans.
Members of the public are invited to submit questions ahead of the meeting. The PSM meeting will take place virtually on Wednesday 4th October and will be recorded and published via the Commissioner’s website and social media channels as soon as possible after its conclusion.
The public can submit questions prior to the event between July 3 and July 17 at: https://bit.ly/44zk3dw.
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