To hear any announcements the Commissioner may have for the Panel.
Minutes:
In reply to the Chairman’s announcements the Commissioner confirmed her intention to provide written information to the Panel in advance of meetings, whenever possible, to support the Panel’s scrutiny of the information presented. The Commissioner confirmed details of savings realised through the restructure and relocation of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) and how this would be reinvested in operational policing delivery would be brought to a future meeting.
The Commissioner thanked the Chairman and other Members of the Panel who had recently attended the PCC’s awards event. The Commissioner extended an invitation to Panel Members to visit Custody and Hampshire Constabulary’s Contact Centre, once refurbishments were completed.
At both a local and national level, the Commissioner continued to raise awareness of Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) and the night-time economy risks. The Commissioner noted a recent national statement she had issued, along with the Deputy Major of London, regarding the treatment of rape victims as suspects and the national rape review. Members heard that Hampshire was one of the first areas in the country to offer vulnerable victims, including those of rape and serious sexual assault, the opportunity to give evidence via video for a subsequent court case under Section 28 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999. Members heard that such evidence would be captured as closely as possible to the time of the offence and it was further noted that officers on the IOW were the first nationally to make a charge under the new non-fatal strangulation offence under the Domestic Abuse Act.
The Commissioner noted that the highest ethical standards were expected by residents from their police force. Nationally, the Commissioner recognised that a significant amount of focus was needed to improve the public’s trust and confidence in policing and how police were being held to account. It was requested that a future item be added to the Panel’s work programme to consider how the Commissioner was holding the Chief Constable to account for ensuring Hampshire Constabulary were meeting requirements and national legislation regarding equality and diversity.
Members heard the annual grants round, with funding issued in April, had seen over £1,000,000 of funding issued pan-Hampshire and IOW to support crime prevention.
The Commissioner further noted the Modern Day Slavery exhibition, which had been travelling around Hampshire and the IOW, and the launch of Operation Foundation, focussed on pursuing offenders of domestic abuse. Operation Sceptre continued to crackdown on knife crime across both counties and the Country Watch team had set up barn meetings across rural communities to enhance engagement with residents.
The Commissioner’s request to have the name of Hampshire Constabulary formally changed to include the Isle of Wight had been formally laid down before parliament on 6 June and, at the time of the meeting, was being debated in the House of Lords.
Hampshire Constabulary, along with other surrounding forces, had made strong representation to the Home Office regarding the £5,000 payment being offered by the Metropolitan Police to officers who transferred to the force, with particular concern regarding the potential impact on detective resource.