This week’s blog is from Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Kingscote.
Mark is an experienced scrutineer and plays a lead role in the Commissioner’s programme to tackle street-level antisocial behaviour and management of the Devon & Cornwall Police estate.
As a Torquay resident myself, I’m passionate about supporting the town and ensuring it remains a safe, welcoming place. It’s why I’m proud to share some of the latest developments from the Street Focus: Torquay project, a partnership approach aimed at creating real, long-term change.
One exciting new initiative that started over the weekend is the Torbay night bus service. This has been funded by my office, covering Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. The bus runs every Saturday evening over the festive season into the early hours. Torbay has such a thriving night life and we want people to take advantage of it, knowing they have a safe way to travel home.
Drink and drug driving is one of the ‘fatal five’ causes of serious injuries and deaths on roads in South West England. Around Christmas, people want to enjoy celebrating with their friends, family or colleagues. The night bus gives the option for everyone to go out together and have a few drinks, while leaving their cars at home. You can view the full timetable on Stagecoach’s website – search for Route 12.
A similar scheme ran in North Devon last Christmas and was used by more than 1,000 passengers. That strong response shows how valuable this kind of service can be for people. My hope is that Torbay’s new night bus will be met with the same enthusiasm. The demand for the bus will be measured to see if it is feasible to have a permanent late night service or run it in other areas.
The night bus service has been set up in collaboration with Devon & Cornwall Police and has the support of Torbay Council. It’s this type of multi-agency approach to community safety that is making a difference. This is also evident in hotspot policing, a targeted method of patrolling key areas to reduce antisocial behaviour (ASB) and serious violence. Here, police officers, town centre officers and street marshals are all working together to deter and disrupt crime.
In October, more than 280 hours of additional patrols were carried out in Torquay and Paignton. The increased visibility that these foot patrols bring is really important, not only to discourage unwanted behaviour but reassure members of the public.
Torquay and Paignton are not the only areas to benefit from hotspot policing. There are a total of 13 towns and cities across Devon and Cornwall involved in the initiative. The Commissioner secured £1 million in Home Office funding for these extra patrols, with an additional £200,000 in match funding to maximise partner patrols.
It’s clear that this increased uniformed presence has been welcomed by communities across the peninsula. I’ve had the opportunity to engage with many local residents and businesses. In the past few weeks, I’ve been out with our engagement team in Torquay, Plymouth, Newquay and Exeter. It’s been fantastic to hear firsthand how these initiatives are making a difference. The response to hotspot policing has been really encouraging, with many people sharing that they feel safer when out and about.
There is a lot of work under way to reduce ASB and I’m pleased that this will be further supported by two legal roles. An ASB legal advisor and paralegal are now based at Torquay Police Station and Exeter Civic Centre to support neighbourhood officers. These roles were funded by my office and will help to speed up the response to ASB. I recognise that individuals involved in ASB often have complex needs so I’m pleased that these advisors will be working closely with partner agencies too.
I’m proud of the progress we’ve made so far with the Street Focus project. It’s rewarding to see a positive impact in the community I know and care about but there’s still more to be done. Ongoing partnerships are key to sustainable change. Working closely with the police, local council and community has already shown what we can accomplish together. I’m looking forward to driving more change as we continue to make Torquay a safer place where our community can thrive.