An intensive recruitment drive means Nottinghamshire Police can now deploy 10% more cops than it could a year ago.
It comes after the service delivered over and above its target of signing up 357 additional police officers through the national Operation Uplift, completing the recruitment process a year ahead of schedule.
The figures are just one of the reassuring updates that Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry will today give to a panel which scrutinises her actions and decisions in delivering the ‘Make Notts Safe’ Police and Crime Plan for Nottinghamshire.
Commissioner Henry will also tell the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Panel at County Hall that her Office has brought £5.3m of the Home Office’s Safer Streets funding to Nottinghamshire during her time as PCC – meaning the area is benefitting more from this scheme than any other police force area nationally.
This total includes £3m awarded in the latest round of funding in July, which will be used to tackle neighbourhood crime and antisocial behaviour, improve feelings of safety and tackle Violence Against Women and Girls in public places.
Commissioner Henry said: “With more police officers on the streets of Nottinghamshire than any time in the last decade and record levels of funding to make our streets safer, our plan to Make Notts Safe is firmly on the right track after the first year.
“Neighbourhood crime remains 30% lower than pre-pandemic levels as Nottinghamshire Police continues to take the fight to the criminals.
“Meanwhile we have secured millions of pounds of funding that will help third sector organisations around the county prevent violent crime and support victims of crime, including domestic and sexual abuse or violence.
“The main objectives of the Make Notts Safe plan are to prevent crime, respond efficiently and effectively to the needs of local people and to provide support for victims of crime. I’m sure the public will find the progress report on these aims incredibly reassuring.”
Other updates given to the panel in an annual report and quarterly update report included:
- Nottinghamshire Police maintains one of the strongest levels of 999 call answering performance in the country, with 88.7% of calls being answered in under 10 seconds.
- Neighbourhood crime rates remain 30% lower than the pre-pandemic level (year to March 2020) and Nottinghamshire maintains the 12th lowest level of burglary and vehicle crime per 1,000 population among all 43 police forces in England and Wales.
- The 2021/22 HMICFRS PEEL inspection report highlighted Nottinghamshire as having the best record in the country for recruitment from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.
- Nottinghamshire Police almost doubled the number and value of assets taken off criminals in the last year – with £356,000 taken out of the pockets of high-profile drug dealers who were dealt with.
- Use of Domestic Violence Protection Orders and Notices has increased by around 50% over the last year, demonstrating the force’s increasingly proactive approach to tackling domestic crime.
- The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire received confirmation of £1,702,948 additional Ministry of Justice funding for Domestic and Sexual Violence Support Services until 2024/25.
- The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Violence Reduction Unit, which is overseen by the PCC, was also successful in a £928,500 funding bid to the Youth Endowment Fund for an intervention scheme for children and young adults aged 14-24 at high risk of being impacted by serious violence.
- Nottinghamshire’s new £1.98m Adult Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), primarily funded by the PCC, opened in August.
- The Commissioner launched the final round of ‘Make Notts Safe’ Thematic Grants on 5 August 2022, with a focus on supporting local communities and third sector organisations in helping to deliver projects and interventions relating to hate crime, rural crime, and issues of significant community concern. This follows thematic rounds of funding launched in January and May 2022 to support youth diversion and activity to address hidden harm.
- The Commissioner also launched the second round of ‘Make Notts Safe’ Community Chest funding on 27 June, providing seed-corn funding of up to £5,000 to ten third sector organisations to help delivery against the PCC’s priorities.
- The PCC’s police estate now includes the most up-to-date custody suite in the country and a cutting-edge Joint Police and Fire Service Headquarters, both delivered on time and on budget during the Covid pandemic.
Nottinghamshire Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford, who is also due to attend the panel meeting, said: “Nottinghamshire Police works closely with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to ensure this county remains a safe place to live, work and visit.
“The reports being outlined to the panel today demonstrate the hard work that goes on all year round and highlights our collective determination to get results – taking the fight to the criminals and supporting victims of crime.”
CC Guildford added that the force had led nationally on recruitment with support the of the College of Policing with new entry routes including a Special Constable to regular officer scheme, the Military pathway scheme and the Fast-track to Detective Constable scheme.
The diversity of women is averaging 50%, according to national figures, and the force has recruited its highest number of Apprentices into full time roles this year.
So much is the force’s success in recruitment, the Government has temporarily funded it to recruit 31 additional officers in this financial year, over and above the national Uplift target.
The Make Notts Safe plan 2021-25 sets out Commissioner Henry’s vision that by the end of her term in office there will be fewer victims, greater trust and confidence in the police and criminal justice system and a stronger and more resilient network of services supporting victims to recover from harm.
To read Commissioner Henry’s annual progress report, click here.
To read a copy of the Commissioner’s performance update, click here.
To read the full update report, click here.