Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire, Matthew Ellis spoke to over 20 members of Cheadle Methodist Church Ladies Get Together Group about policing in Staffordshire during their latest Meeting.
Mr Ellis talked with members during their meeting at Cheadle Methodist Church about the importance of PCSOs to local communities throughout Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. The group were told about how the vital role PCSOs play in neighbourhood policing as they are able to forge relationships within the local communities that regular officers don’t.
Mr Ellis also spoke with members of the Ladies Get Together about cyber-crime and online theft. He informed the group that cyber-crime included crimes such as, identity theft, online fraud including fraudulent emails, bullying and grooming. Members of the group were asked by Mr Ellis whether they had ever been a victim of cyber-crime, and he was relieved to hear that they hadn’t. However, several members of the Ladies Get Together group said that they had received suspicious emails claiming to be from banks or offering tax refunds.
Mr Ellis said: “I would like to thank Cheadle Methodist Church Ladies Get Together Group for their warm welcome and for having me as their guest speaker, the reception they gave me was fantastic.
“I was able to update members of the group on the work currently being done in Staffordshire around cyber safety, mental health and the Staffordshire Police Cadet Service. I was also able to highlight the benefit of neighbourhood PCSOs and the vital role they play in communities.”
Dorothy Dolphin, speaker’s secretary of Cheadle Methodist Church Ladies Get Together Group, said: “Mr Ellis’ visit gave us a really good insight into the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner. He told us about the work that is currently taking place across Staffordshire and highlighted the changes that are happening within the Police Force.”
A recent campaign aims to raise awareness about online crime to help prevent people becoming victims as well as reduce the amount of money criminals snatch from people through the internet.
More information about the Cyber Safe Staffordshire campaign is available at www.staffordshire-pcc.gov.uk/cyber-safe-staffordshire
Community groups can contact the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office on 01785 232270 or email pcc@staffordshire.pcc.pnn.gov.uk to request a visit from the PCC. They can also write to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Staffordshire Police HQ (Block 9), Weston Road, Stafford, ST18 0YY.
To read more about the Police and Crime Commissioner’s key priorities in his Safer, Fairer, United Communities strategy go to: www.staffordshire-pcc.gov.uk/saferfairerunited/
