Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis spoke about how police finances are back on track and cuts to neighbourhood policing have been cancelled at a meeting of the Lichfield Civic Society last night.
Mr Ells was the guest speaker at this month’s meeting at St Mary’s Centre in Lichfield town centre.
Updating them on his first 18 months in office, the Commissioner talked to society members for nearly two hours and fielded questions about a range of police and community safety related topics.
He said: “Over the last 18 months I’ve found police in Staffordshire do a good job. What they don’t do is spend money well and that’s where the role of the PCC and my small team of professionals have been able to make significant savings by doing things differently. Already we’ve been able to cancel cuts to neighbourhood policing and later this year, vast improvements in technology will see thousands of hours of police time freed up, meaning more police officers will be out on the streets being visible instead of at a desk accessing police systems and completing paperwork.”
John Thompson, Chairman of Lichfield Civic Society added: “Matthew Ellis gave a very impressive, honest and open insight into his work and achievements since his election in November 2012 as the first Staffordshire Police and Crime Commissioner. His wide ranging ambitions to improve services through joint working and use of new technology whilst seeking to increase policing capacity and effectiveness through utilising resources more effectively was well received. It was also encouraging to hear his views about mergers and the case for maintaining the Staffordshire Police service as a separate force. It was an exceptionally good presentation on how the Commissioner’s initiatives in Staffordshire are bringing benefits locally and on the national scene.
Talking about the event, Mr Ellis added: “The members gave me a really warm welcome and I thoroughly enjoyed the two hours questions and answers on the work we’re doing in Staffordshire.”
