Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Matthew Ellis spoke to over 120 people at a Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) Engagement event on Saturday, 30 May, aiming to encourage residents, businesses and partners to help shape a new and dynamic approach to Watch Schemes across Staffordshire.
Alongside Mr Ellis, speakers at the event included Deputy PCC Sue Arnold, Assistant Chief Constable Jon Drake, Junaid Gharda, Head of Policy, Performance and Assurance at the OPCC and David Myers Staffordshire Police’s ICT Strategic Director.
Working together, the Commissioner and senior officers from Staffordshire Police are looking at new and innovative ways to increase community engagement and build on established strong foundations.
The volunteer watch movement in Staffordshire, which encompasses a wide range of schemes defined by key interest themes such as Neighbourhood Watch, Horse Watch, Canal Watch etc. currently has over 28,000 registered Co-ordinators and Members who regularly receive local policing information.
Extra resources, more time and innovative technology will now be developed to redesign the way these schemes are supported by the police. This will seek to ensure members are given more choice about the information they wish to receive and how and when they receive it. Additionally, Watch representatives will also have the opportunity to hold local policing commanders to account and contribute to local community safety and reassurance activity through membership of the new Safer Neighbourhood Panels being established in every local policing team area.
Aiming also to make community engagement and social action more appealing to the wider community and reflective of the wide and diverse communities of Staffordshire, the PCC and Force also aim to attract a younger audience to support the existing watch membership.
Discussing his vision for Staffordshire at the event, Mr Ellis said: “I want community engagement and watch schemes to be centred around what works for local people and want much greater support from Staffordshire Police to help co-ordinate it. The Force’s new mobile technology roll-out will free up police time so they can be out in communities and working closely with members.
“There is a big opportunity I’m investing more money to expand technology which will be more user friendly and will encourage new membership from across the communities and businesses of the area.
“Certainly the event on Saturday was a great success I was extremely pleased to see so many local people attend and contribute to future plans.”
Assistant Chief Constable Jon Drake, added: “It was my pleasure to speak at the Staffordshire Neighbourhood Watch event on Saturday. This is a fantastic organisation that helps keep Staffordshire safe and I was pleased that so many members were involved in the day.”
