- Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner is reaching out to local communities to help him deliver on his election pledges
- PCC Chris Nelson will use the ‘Citizens in policing’ model to create a new role for volunteers
- Mr. Nelson said, “Parish councils understand their communities better than anyone and I am keen to tap into their knowledge for support”
- Assuming a further relaxation in lockdown regulations, a series of meetings with parish and town council representatives will take place in September.
Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) will reach out to local communities to help him deliver one of his key election pledges.
Recently elected PCC Chris Nelson is going on the road for a series of meetings with parish and town council representatives to explain his idea for expanding the county’s Special Constabulary.
Assuming the anticipated further relaxation of lockdown regulations, events will be based in each of the county’s six local authority districts in September.
The PCC will be accompanied by Chief Constable Rod Hansen. Their aim is to gain the councils’ support in inspiring a new generation of Citizens in Policing who will act as ‘community volunteers’.
Mr. Nelson said, “Parish councils are at the grass roots of our democracy. They understand their communities better than anyone and I am keen to tap into their knowledge and influence. I want to empower them in areas that I know concern them.
“Working together, I believe we can make the police more visible by recruiting what I call local volunteers through the ‘Citizens in Policing’ initiative. People from the community working within their community. Dealing with persistent speeding with a range of technical and people-orientated solutions, and making better use of Neighbourhood Watch and the Community Alerts system.
“They might be former officers or more likely community-spirited people who can add local experience to the Constabulary’s neighbourhood policing teams.
“Getting out and meeting the public face to face is one of the most important aspects of the role of a police and crime commissioner and I am really looking forward to going on the road and explaining my ideas in more detail and hopefully winning support.”
Other forces have also used the ‘Citizens in Policing’ model to enhance neighbourhood policing.
Mr. Nelson has also pledged to recruit another 300 police officers.
