National Policing Pledge
More information is available on the Direct.gov.uk website
A TEN-point blueprint pledging improved "bread and butter" policing standards across County Durham and Darlington has been outlined by Chief Constable Jon Stoddart.
The framework, backed by both the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers outlines 10 standards adopted by Durham Constabulary to maintain and develop citizen focused policing.
Mr Stoddart has publicly pledged to:-
- Local Police
Find your local policing team.
- Answer 999 calls within ten seconds and arrive on the scene of immediate response incidents in urban or rural locations within set times
- Answer non-emergency calls promptly and provide an estimated time of arrival
- Ensure neighbourhood policing teams are visible and spend 80% of their time in their communities
- Keeping crime victims updated
- Acknowledge any reported complaint within 24 hours
- Treat the public fairly at all times with dignity and respect
- Provide details of how and where to contact neighbourhood policing teams
- Respond to every neighbourhood policing team message within 24 hours
- Call regular public meetings on a monthly basis to agree priorities
- Provide monthly updates on progress and on local crime issues and priorities
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"Essentially the pledge is about the visibility of our neighbourhood policing teams, how we answer calls and deal with questions, and how we take positive action.
"It is all about bread and butter policing across our neighbourhoods. It is something we in Durham have proved we are good at but it is something we need to go on improving. There is still work to do and this is a sensible way to take things forward," said Mr Stoddart.
Mr Stoddart said the adoption of the pledge reflected the force's determination to continually seek out effective and efficient ways to improve service to communities.
Quote
It is our intention to contact people at a local level to agree what the pledge will mean to their community
Jon Stoddart
Mr Peter Thompson, chairman of Durham Police Authority, added: "The policing pledge is a positive initiative that that will help to build greater public confidence in the police service. As a police authority we will do our utmost to ensure that the promises outlined within the pledge are delivered to the people of County Durham and Darlington."
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has congratulated Durham Constabulary for being one of the first police forces to deliver the policing pledge to the public.
She said: "The public are our strongest weapon in tackling crime and I passionately believe that empowering them to get a good deal through the policing pledge will play a powerful role in driving up the quality of policing for our citizens and in our communities.
"For the first time the public will know the minimum standard of service they should receive and I look forward to all forces making the same visible commitment to their local communities."
