Message from Ed Finn, Community Policing Inspector
As you are aware, we held online priority setting meetings in January and February of this year. These meetings were attended by many of you, and we received some great feedback to help us understand what is going on in your areas. We also discussed the “Have Your Say” survey data that is compiled based on resident feedback throughout the year. Following these meetings, the Police Priority for February to April 2022 was set as:
• Motor Vehicles – Crime and Anti-Social use
o Crime: Theft from Motor Vehicles & Theft of Motor Vehicles.
o Anti-social use: dangerous parking including at schools, targeted speeding activity at identified repeat problem locations, racing, noise, criminal use & road safety.
Over the last few months, the team have been highly active, focussing on this priority. This has included over 100 related activities such as:
• 62 sessions of speed enforcement in problem areas
• 7 stolen vehicles recovered
• Execution of a large warrant at a location linked to a series of vehicle thefts
• An arrest on suspicion of “drug driving” and subsequent execution of a drugs warrant at an address in the area. This occurred after the team acted on information that had been passed to us from members of the community
• 20 road safety & crime prevention advice sessions
Over this time, 44 crimes relating to motor vehicles took place in the area with 28 of those being against local residents. All 28 of those residents received either a reassurance visit or letter from the team. This is 24 less vehicles crimes than took place in the same period in 2021.
At Bedfordshire Police we are currently undertaking a review of our Community Engagement Model and this will lead to changes to the way in which we set our priorities in future. Whilst this takes place, I have taken the decision to extend the current Police Priority to cover the period of May to July 2022. This will enable the team to carry on the fantastic work that they have been doing and we know from the “Have Your Say” survey data that these issues are still affecting you.
Please continue to keep in touch with us – you will notice that we are now completing regular “Coffee with a Cop” sessions across the villages, and we are still completing our “Days of Action” in addition to our normal patrols, so that residents have plenty of opportunities to see and speak to us. These are advertised on our Facebook page (North Bedfordshire Rural Community Policing), on www.police.uk and shared with Parish Councils via the Clerks.
As always, I’d like to request that you continue to report any incidents of crime or anti-social behaviour to us on 101 or via the reporting tool on the Bedfordshire Police website. The more information we have, the more effective we can be. In the event on an emergency, please call 999.