OPCC – the fourth emergency service?

We often talk about ‘partners’, ‘working with partners’, ‘partnership working’. And there is plenty of evidence of the benefits of my office, OPCC, working in collaboration with all of the emergency services.

Sharing ‘blue light’ bases with Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) in Newent and Winchcombe are literally concrete examples. It makes operational sense, provides value for taxpayers’ money and raises the Constabulary’s profile in some of the areas where police stations were closed in the pre-austerity purge of the ‘noughties’. I am always looking at ways of increasing the reach of the ‘police estate’ and am open to sharing buildings with other organisations, providing what is on offer is fit for purpose.

The Constabulary, OPCC and GFRS also organise joint open days for the public to see close-up some of the services we provide on a daily basis. We also come together on more spiritual occasions at Christmas and around Remembrance Day. Last November’s service, to remember all those killed or seriously injured on Gloucestershire’s roads, was particularly poignant. Road safety has always been an OPCC priority and we have worked for many years with police, fire and the South West Ambulance Trust (SWAST), trying to educate future generations of drivers in schools and colleges.  

These are some of the more tangible manifestations co-ordinated by an Emergency Services Collaboration Board. A little heralded body, which also oversees regular briefings to insure best practice is shared and, where possible, future problems are anticipated and planned-for in advance.

What may be less obvious are collaborative campaigns aimed at combatting sexual violence, domestic abuse and online harm. You might have noticed the first phase of the ‘online harm campaign’ on digital advertising boards across the county, on radio and on TikTok and Snapchat, targeting young people, and on Facebook, focusing on parents. Phase two will focus on schools and phase three, perpetrator pursuit in policing.

Recently, a week in which a range of partners was involved in raising awareness of sexual violence, often against women and girls, revealed an encouraging response to material that was also shared online and through other forms of media.

I have also attached a great deal of emphasis, and resources, to tackling the largely unseen crime of domestic abuse. In January alone, there were 244 people arrested, which was more than 30% of all arrests. Figures for February are due at the end of the month.