Getting Tough On Crime
Sarah Varley speaks to the new Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner, Andrew Snowden, who is taking a tough approach in order to cut crime
Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden is aiming to rebalance resources in the Ribble Valley in his new role. He will endeavour to ensure that fighting rural crime is effective as he explains: “I think the rural communities have felt, over a period of time, that they are at the bottom of the list of policing needs and criminals have filled that void. I get lots of people reporting increased anti-social behaviour in rural areas, such as increases in drug dealing taking place in car parks and beauty spots.
What should Ribble Valley residents expect from you during your time as Police & Crime Commissioner?
What the people of the Ribble Valley can expect of me as Police & Crime Commissioner is someone who will be passionately leading the fight on crime. If done well, by someone who genuinely wants to make a difference, the role can have real value in shaping public safety and that’s what I hope to achieve. I’m here because I want to see a much tougher, no-nonsense approach to getting criminals off our streets.
How do you plan to deliver on this?
I will be starting afresh with a whole new policing and crime plan. Too often we see offenders getting off lightly and excuses being made for repeat offenders.
Here in Lancashire, I will be working closely with the Chief Constable Chris Rowley to deploy as many resources as we possibly can. Dismantling and disrupting serious and organised crime will be a major priority because they are usually the head of the snake, where a lot of anti-social behaviour and other problems trickle down from, and drugs are often at the heart of it. Last week, I joined officers on the front line in drug raids on two properties. It was terrifying, but great to be out there speaking to police officers about what they need to be able to do their job effectively. A really tough approach on crime is what’s needed.
What are your priorities for the Ribble Valley?
I want to make sure we bring resources to the rural areas so I’m hoping to double the size of the rural task force in Lancashire Constabulary. In rural communities it is not an efficient deployment of resources to have bobbies on the beat patrolling every area – the chances of catching someone committing a crime is minimal. That’s why the rural task force is really important, having officers who are dedicated to investigating crime in rural areas and really understanding the communities and issues faced.
I have already told the Chief Constable I will be reviewing the decision to close the front desk at Clitheroe Police Station. First and foremost I’ll be looking at Clitheroe as the main hub for Ribble Valley and then we will look at what more we can do. You do reach a point of diminishing return however and have to consider if you want the police tied up on front desks or out fighting crime.
I hope by the time I’ve left office, Clitheroe Police Station will have a front desk again, right at the heart of the Ribble Valley community where residents can report crimes and engage with the police. What I really want to focus on is neighbourhood policing, with a strongly-rooted connection to specific areas so the police know the troublemakers, they’ve got the intelligence at their fingertips and if there’s a report of crime, they know immediately who they need to go and speak to.
We will be doing everything we can to ensure we’re getting tough on crime and bringing all the resources we can to tackle criminals, particularly repeat offenders, and anti-social behaviour to make sure that people feel safe on our streets.
How will funds be distributed?
I’ll set out a police and crime plan over the next few months, consulting with the public and the force on their priorities, and that will determine how I allocate the budgets. I’m working with the Chief Constable on where there might be efficiencies we can make and where we can then prioritise that funding.
We’ve got an uplift in funding from central Government so you will see over the next year or two more and more officers joining the force. I’ve built a very good working relationship with the Chief Constable already, around how we make best use of that uplift to get the most officers possible on the front line. The real focus needs to be that increased visible police presence.
How do you plan to attract officers and new recruits into Lancashire Constabulary?
There’s a mix of things we’re doing. We can transfer officers in from other forces, making sure Lancashire remains and continues to be seen as an excellent police force that people want to work for.
I’ve been speaking to PCSOs about the role they play in talking to schools about careers in the police force. I want to continue to build that sense of pride in Lancashire Constabulary, that the police are there to serve local communities – it’s getting that message out there to this generation that if you join Lancashire Constabulary, it’s an amazing career and a huge contribution to make to society.
How do you intend to tackle concerns about an increase of organised crime coming into Lancashire?
It’s going to be a tough nut to crack so we’re going to have to keep hammering it and the police will have my 100 per cent backing in doing that. No excuses or exceptions will be made for these criminals, these are dangerous people who should not be on our streets.
commissioner@lancashire-pcc.gov.uk
lancashire-pcc.gov.uk
01772 533587
