Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis is asking local people in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to provide an honest picture of police customer service by becoming Mystery Shoppers.
More Mystery Shoppers are needed across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to make sure people get a high-quality service from police.
They will visit police inquiry offices, make calls to the non-emergency 101 number and seek information on the force’s website and then provide feedback.
Mr Ellis said: “This is your chance to get involved and influence the future of policing in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
“I make no apology for believing that truly local policing, and the public playing a part in influencing that policing, is vital.
“The Mystery Customer role also is crucial in providing an objective view for the rest of the public.
“This is about testing the police on behalf of the public to raise standards, improve confidence in policing and make sure people get a high-quality service.
“The feedback – positive or negative – will give an honest picture of police customer service across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent and highlight where things are being done well or where improvement is needed.
“Even if you only have an hour to spare a week you can become a Mystery Customer and help improve public confidence in policing.”
Mystery Shoppers are just one part of the Commissioner’s work to give people the opportunity to shape the future of policing at the most local level in their community.
Safer Neighbourhood Panels are being set up to examine and shape the work of policing, hold Local Policing Team Commanders to account and look at wider criminal justice and community safety issues in their area.
Three new panels are due to start shortly in Lichfield, Newcastle and Stafford. Panels are already up and running in Cannock, South Staffordshire and Staffordshire Moorlands and soon every local policing area in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent will have one. Local residents and councillors sit on the panels with magistrates bringing additional expertise.
Panels will influence local policing and community safety, scrutinise the work done by police in their area, give feedback to communities and examine the impact of community resolutions and restorative justice.
The local panels follow the success of the Ethics, Transparency and Audit Panel (ETAP) which was established as part of an overarching panel in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent as part of the PCC’s ambition to make policing in Staffordshire the most open, transparent and ethical in the country.
Anyone interested in applying to join a Safer Neighbourhood panel in their area should register their interest at http://www.staffordshire-pcc.gov.uk/safer-neighbourhood-panels/
