commissioning

Sep302024

Commissioner’s tribute to service which supported rape victims

Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner has praised police and victim support services after the sentencing of three men who raped teenage girls in Plymouth.

Abalzaq Salih, 31, from Plymouth, was sentenced to 19 years in prison after being convicted of two counts of raping a female aged 15 or under.

Saif Kahya, aged 32, from Liverpool, was also sentenced to 12 years in prison after being found guilty of one count of rape of a female aged 16 or over.

Salih and Kahya were sentenced on September 25 and today (Sept 30) Anthony Anantharajah, aged 35, from London, was sentenced to 13-years in prison after being convicted of one count of rape of a female aged 16 or over.

All three men had denied the charges but were found guilty at Plymouth Crown Court last month.

Throughout the six-week trial, in which the court heard how the older men deliberately targeted four teenage girls, debilitating them with alcohol at house parties before sexually assaulting them. The victims were supported by Barnardo’s Exceed, which the Commissioner has appointed to offer support and information for young residents of Devon and Cornwall who are experiencing or might experience sexual exploitation.

The abuse, which took place in 2017, came to light after another girl came forward and gave key evidence to police having watched the BBC drama Three Girls, which depicted the high-profile Child Sexual Exploitation investigation in Rochdale. The convictions were the result of a lengthy investigation by Devon & Cornwall Police codenamed Operation Garcia.

Commissioner Alison Hernandez said: “This case bears some of the hallmarks of others which have taken place across the UK, but with some key differences, here the victims here were listened to, believed, and supported. I would like to thank them, the policing team and Barnardo’s, who have shown that with tenacity and by working together convictions and lengthy prison sentences can be achieved.

“To the offenders who denied their crimes I am pleased that they now have a considerable amount of prison time ahead of them in which they can reflect on their decision not to admit their crimes, one which meant their victims had a longer wait for justice while a trial took place.”

Duncan Stanway, Barnardo’s assistant director in the South West, said: “It has been a very traumatic seven years for these young women, who were aged 14 to 16 when they were sexually exploited.

“They have shown enormous bravery in reporting these crimes and in providing the evidence that has allowed justice to be done.

“Barnardo’s has been able to provide long-term support to these young women.

“Every year Barnardo’s supports thousands of children and young people who are at risk of exploitation, or have experienced it, to help them recover from trauma and prevent further harm.”

Victims of crime in Devon and Cornwall are provided with support services by the Commissioner, whether or not crimes have been reported to police. For more information visit: Home – Victim Care Devon & Cornwall (victimcare-dc.org)

Sep272024

Commissioner welcomes significant improvement in call handling

opccUncategorized

Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner has welcomed a significant improvement in call handling by the force she oversees.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) today discharged Devon & Cornwall Police from concerns about emergency and non-emergency contact.

The inspectorate noted that the force had made sustainable improvements, particularly over the busy summer period.

In August 2024, one of the busiest months, 93.9% of all emergency 999 calls were answered within the national threshold of 10 seconds and 93.4% of other 101 contact (email and digital demand) were answered within 24 hours.

The force was moved in to the ‘engage’ phase of monitoring which provides additional scrutiny on behalf of the public by HMICFRS in October 2022. It identified three key areas where the force needed to make clear and sustained improvements – the management of violent and sexual offenders (MOSOVO); the force’s ability to answer emergency and non-emergency calls and how crime is recorded.

The force was formally discharged from concerns regarding the management of MOSOVO in January. For the recording of crime, it remains in the engage phase, however, the inadequate rating was today lifted by HMICFRS and the inspectorate has placed the force on a more positive rating of ‘requires improvement’ in this area. The force’s own recent audit shows crime recording compliance is being maintained at levels above 90%.

In the 12 months to September 2024 the Commissioner’s office received just five pieces of correspondence related to 101 wait times, compared to around 60 the previous year.

Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez said: “The challenges in dealing with calls to the 101 non-emergency and 999 emergency call lines have been immense and pre-date my first term. Various attempts have been made to tackle this challenge, and significant investment in people and technology has been made over many years. This time strong leadership and a hands-on approach to fixing what was wrong has made the difference. The force’s call handlers continue to work under immense pressure and I know many callers are grateful for their professionalism and expertise.

“There is still work to do to support the force on its improvement journey but I am delighted that the inspectorate has formally recognised the significant improvement in this area, which matters so much to the public we serve and influences public confidence in policing.”

The full HMICFRS report, which can be found on the inspectorate’s website, is due to be discussed at the October meeting of the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Panel, which is due to meet on Friday, October 4, at Council House, Plymouth. The agenda and papers for the meeting can be found here.

Sep272024

Your chance to shape policing, crime prevention and victim services in Devon and Cornwall

opccUncategorized

Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner is so concerned about an increase in shoplifting and rural crime she has added theft as a priority to her emerging police and crime plan.

Alison Hernandez also details how she wants police and partners to do more to reduce alcohol-fuelled crime in her draft 2025-29 plan – which sets out the vision for her term of office.

In it she identifies antisocial behaviour, drug and alcohol abuse, violence and theft as priorities, and describes how she proposes to tackle these in towns and cities, in rural and coastal areas and on the counties’ roads.

The draft plan sets out an overarching priority of improving policing services and describes how she intends to commission services to meet its aims and measure performance.

Residents of the force area are being invited to view the draft plan and complete a short online survey so their views can be considered before the plan is finalised. Partners such as those involved in Community Safety Partnerships and organisations who provide services to victims are also being asked to give their views.

The Commissioner said the views of members of the public shaped all her work.

“It is my duty to be the voice of the public in policing and bring to the table their concerns as we plan what policing should look like, and shape the services I provide to victims of crime and to reduce reoffending,” she said.

“For many years people have told me they want a more connected and visible police force, and one which focuses on the things that make them feel unsafe, such as antisocial behaviour, dangerous driving, drugs and alcohol. We have responded by establishing a road safety partnership and investing heavily to bolster police numbers and reopen police enquiry offices in 13 communities.

“As we look ahead I am increasingly concerned about rural crime and the scourge of shoplifting which is affecting businesses and leading to a sense of lawlessness. For that reason I have added tackling theft as a priority.

“My plan will bring focus to police and partners and is designed to create safer, connected, resilient communities where everyone has a part to play. Now I want the people I serve to have their say on this proposal.”

Residents of the force area can have their say by completing the survey at https://bit.ly/3BhjTxT by midnight on Sunday, October 27.

The Commissioner’s community engagement team will be consulting members of the public on the draft plan at events up and down the force area. For details of these events see https://devonandcornwall-pcc.gov.uk/public-engagement.

Partners of the Police and Crime Commissioner will be asked to provide a narrative response to the draft plan.

Sep232024

Continuing to fight for our corner of England

opccPolice funding formula

It is five years since I led a delegation of politicians and police representatives to central London to make the case for central Government to invest more in policing here in Devon and Cornwall.

My argument was not that our society is ridden by crime – in fact it was (and still is) one of the safest parts of England and Wales.

The nature of the area and the people that our police serve, mean, however, that Devon & Cornwall Police responds to huge numbers of ‘non crime’ incidents. These can be road traffic collisions, missing people cases, managing sex offenders, safeguarding children from abuse and exploitation online and in their community along with still taking calls to help people who are mentally unwell. Tragically we have more people taking their own life than comparative police force areas.

To add to this picture, the peninsula nature of the force area means our force is more limited than others when it comes to calling for help from others. And we have more visitors than each of the police force areas apart from the Met’s.

In the year after I was first elected to post I was told by many of you that there were not enough police officers in our cities, towns and villages. The data bore this out, with Devon and Cornwall Police having a lower officer density than even other rural police force areas.

Since my delegation went to London a lot has changed. With the support of our communities through their council tax bills I embarked on a mission to recruit more police officers and open more police enquiry offices to the public.

With the central Government police uplift we were able to add rocket fuel to our recruitment programme, meaning there are now more police officers in Devon and Cornwall than there have been at any time in the force’s history.

The project to reopen police enquiry offices has seen 12 of those which closed more than a decade ago reopen and one open for the first time. Five more will reopen between now and April next year. This has transformed contact for thousands of residents, who now have the option of speaking to a friendly face in their community if they choose to.

All this has taken significant investment. Police officers need uniforms, Tasers, computers, radios and cars. Police enquiry officers need staffing. Despite this investment there is still a perception in our communities that police are not as visible and accessible as people would like.

In Torquay I have supported additional investment in highly visible hotspot policing to tackle the issues people say matter most to them, antisocial behaviour and drug abuse in the town centre which makes people feel unsafe. Here I have bolstered central Government funding by an additional £200,000. These patrols led to dozens of arrests, suppressed crime and given residents and shopkeepers a renewed confidence in policing.

My emerging Police and Crime Plan will build on this approach and provide hotspot policing for more parts of the force area, where the same issues are faced by the law-abiding and tax-paying majority of our residents.

And although progress has been made, I will continue to fight for more central Government funding for the services which make a real difference. Together we can build stronger, resilient and connected communities where everyone has a part to play.

Sep22024

Tackling town centre antisocial behaviour remains a priority

opccAntisocial behaviour

Regular readers of this column will know that I’m passionate about improving community safety in our towns and cities, particularly in problem hotspots that are blighted by the menace of antisocial behaviour, drug dealing and violence.

I know very well – from recent public engagement events and my budget survey results – that residents up and down the peninsula are fed up and want these problems resolved for good. That’s why I am proposing to include tackling antisocial behaviour and reducing violence, drug dealing and theft as priorities for the new Police & Crime Plan that’ll be published later this year. You can be assured that I won’t shy away from addressing these problems but I can’t pretend there are quick fixes either.

All too often, the issues we’re facing in our town centres stem from a complex range of societal challenges that require communities to work with a range of services to solve – that way, we can ensure local solutions genuinely match local need. And that’s exactly what’s happening at the moment in Paignton, Camborne and Redruth, where Home Office Safer Streets funding is helping local councils address interconnected problems in their towns head on.

Between them, their local areas will directly benefit from nearly £800,000 worth of community safety funds – to be spent on evidence-based projects such as improved street lighting, enhanced CCTV and street marshals in town centres, plus specialist youth workers and restorative justice ‘circles’ to tackle persistent antisocial behaviour.

I’ve written about this before, but it’s through the tactical and timely use of ring-fenced funds, such as Safer Streets, plus the dedication of enhanced neighbourhood policing teams and personal commitment from community leaders, that towns can really turn a corner. I welcome this targeted investment in our region’s towns and have high hopes for the positive change it will achieve on behalf of residents.

As I outlined in last week’s column, I have secured additional Home Office funding for hotspot patrols in 13 towns and cities across Devon and Cornwall. Camborne and Paignton are two towns that are benefitting from these additional policing patrols, where the force’s tactical and preventative approach is really boosting peninsula community safety during the busy holiday period, and beyond.

So it was disappointing to see a series of negative stories in the national press about the challenges being faced by Camborne recently – challenges that community safety partners are working hard to address. An area with a proud mining and tourist heritage, these articles have unhelpfully cast the town of Camborne in a bad light in peak-holiday season, falsely attributing town-centre antisocial behaviour to homeless residents of the new housing pods in Rosewarne Car Park. This misleading journalism could damage community spirit and tarnish the town’s reputation, just when sustained collaboration is needed to ensure progress, for residents and visitors alike.

I would draw readers’ attention to the good work that’s under way in both our Safer Streets funded areas – strong partnership work that I witnessed first hand when I visited Camborne, Redruth and Paignton back in the spring. It was clear to me then that neighbourhood police, council leaders and their commissioned agencies were fully committed to the vital task of community improvement and determined to spend funds wisely for the public good. I applaud this collective endeavour and will continue to support a multiagency response to tackling the menace of anti-social behaviour, drug dealing and violence across the region.

Help us tackle crime in your community by reporting it to Devon & Cornwall Police. Always call 999 in an emergency. You can also contact 101, use the online reporting form, or report incidents anonymously through Crimestoppers.

Sep92024

Grants to tackle crime at a grassroots level

opccAntisocial behaviour

I am conscious that in recent weeks this column has focused on some weighty topics and so this week I would like to lighten the mood by talking about some of the great work done by small organisations with the help of my office.

My Community Grants Scheme has been running for a number of years now and offers a way for charities and voluntary groups to access funding to carry out work that supports my Police and Crime Plan priorities.

I see this as a vital route into our communities, especially those which might not have easy access to more widespread support and initiatives which help to keep crime down and keep residents and businesses safe.

Every year I set a theme which applicants must meet in order to qualify for funding which this year is for crime prevention measures and tackling drug and alcohol related antisocial behaviour, as well as projects or activities aimed at preventing violence against women and girls.

This financial year I have made £200,000 available for charities and voluntary groups in Devon and Cornwall whose work meets this criteria and I look forward to hearing about some of the great work which has been enabled by this investment.

In addition to the Commissioner’s Community Grants, Police Property Act funding is also available from sold property which has come into the possession of the police in connection with a crime and where the owner cannot be found can be sold; or from property which has been forfeited following a conviction and by order of a court if it was used or intended for use in a crime.

Both funds are distributed by Devon and Cornwall Community Foundations. Applications have recently closed for groups in Cornwall to apply, but the good news is Devon’s round has just been launched and groups have until the beginning of October to get involved.

Grants of up to £5,000 are available and are being delivered in partnership with Devon Community Foundation (DCF), which says the funding is so valuable as it allows those who have a deep understanding of the issues and challenges in their own communities to create their own solutions, which helps strengthen communities and builds greater resilience to crime.

DCF has also shared some of the work supported by last year’s Commissioner’s Community Grants. Resilient Lives CIC last year secured funding for a skills and training programme created for people recovering from drug or alcohol addiction in Torbay.

The project helped support people out of addiction by teaching them to make wood-fired, sourdough pizzas, and sell them by developing skills to manage front-of-house, market and brand a business, advertise it and run a pop-up market stall in their community.

Simon Dyer, the CEO of Resilient Lives, says this kind of project is key in offering a way forward for people who are moving away from support services, reducing the risk of overwhelm and giving them the chance to move on, earn a living and prevent the return to a pattern of behaviour that can be prompted by a fear of failure.

Over in Cornwall, Groundworks South Trust won grant funding to create a youth club for young people of Callington to spend time with like-minded peers to divert them from participating in antisocial behaviour.  

It involved working outdoors to clear and rejuvenate a green space to allow more accessibility for residents within the area. The funding was also spent on making the youth club an attractive place for young people to spend their time.

A youth worker was employed whose main role was to have discussions with the members regarding the issues of antisocial behaviour, substance misuse and mental health concerns, and members were also able to access training with a GB boxing coach.

I am delighted that this funding is being used to transform the lives of young people and those who just need a helping hand to make and sustain changes that will give them the opportunity to escape the grip of addiction.

These schemes, while small in scale, are helping people on an individual and community basis to all of our benefit.

What could you spend up to £5,000 on to make our area safer?

Applications for the Commissioner’s Community Grants and Police Property Act funding in Devon are open until October 2. To apply visit https://devoncf.com/grants/small-grants/

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The official website for Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

Policing priorities

Priority: Drugs

Priority: Violence

Priority: Antisocial behaviour

Priority: Road safety

Support for victims of crime