An update from Durham Police and Crime Commissioner
BRIEFING 09
Prioritising Public and Policing needs
I have confirmed the policing element of council tax in County Durham and Darlington will be increased by £18.50 a year for a Band D property, following clear public support and against a recommendation from the Police and Crime Panel to limit the increase to £15.
The decision will protect frontline policing; safeguarding police officer numbers, PCSOs and police staff over the next two years, maintaining neighbourhood visibility and strengthening the response to anti-social behaviour, shoplifting and community crime.
Public consultation consistently shows strong support for higher precept increases, with the most recent consultation showing the highest responses in favour of increases of £20 or more, where the investment protects frontline services.
Protecting victims from online fraud in the age of AI
Fraud is now the most common crime affecting our communities and it is growing, with new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) giving fraudsters greater power to pull off their crimes.
I recently attended a meeting with colleagues from the North East Business Resilience Centre (NEBRC) to understand how criminals are increasingly using AI to make their scams more convincing, more targeted and harder to spot.
Support is available to help protect you falling prey to online fraudsters.
PCCs meet in Durham for regional roundtable on spiking
I was pleased to host PCCs and policing leaders from across the region who were joined by Home Office and national VAWG Centre leads and national campaigners at a roundtable event to tackle the growing issue of spiking.
I called the high-profile meeting to review current intelligence and trends in relation to drink and needle spiking across the North East and to provide a platform for concerned students and nighttime economy partners to share their personal experiences to inform future action.
Seasonal crackdown on crime hailed a resounding success
Tough action was taken to bolster visible policing in communities hardest hit by problems throughout the winter.
We supported the Government’s Winter of Action initiative with key partners, rolling out a series of measures including extra foot patrols to hold criminals accountable for bringing fear and misery to our communities.
The scheme follows the success of the Safer Streets Summer campaign and will see agencies adopting a united front to drive out behaviour that undermines public safety and community values.
Read more.
Safer Countryside
Rural residents and businesses urged to speak up
I’ve just launched my latest survey for rural residents and businesses and I’m urging to speak up about crime and policing to shape future services in the way they want.
Nobody knows our rural communities better than the people who live in them. I want to see problems through the eyes of those who experience them so that I can find more solutions that are effective.
Drug drivers warned: “One night out – a lifetime of consequences”
Drug driving has reached epidemic levels on our roads which is why I have supported a strengthened approach to enforcement. Every day, lives are being recklessly endangered by dangerous motorists who show no respect for their own safety or the safety of others – this is shocking and unacceptable.
Alongside Durham County Council and Darlington Borough Council, I backed a hard-hitting campaign during Christmas and New Year targeting young men that reminded them of the devastating consequences of getting behind the wheel while impaired by drink or drugs. Drink or drug driving will not be tolerated, and I assure all road users that enforcement will take place 365-days a year to uphold the law and remove dangerous drivers off our roads.
I recently joined forces with national charity TyreSafe to prevent serious and fatal collisions involving illegal or poorly maintained tyres.
Recent figures suggest North-East England has the highest rate of illegal tyres in Great Britain at 11.8%. In becoming a TyreSafe partner, alongside my APCC colleague, Warwickshire PCC Philip Seccombe, I will support the charity’s work by raising awareness of the need for regular tyre maintenance and highlighting the serious dangers posed by illegal or poorly maintained tyres.
Steering women away from crime and the justice system
A funding boost worth £60k has been invested in new community services to support women recovering from trauma to protect them from becoming perpetrators and victims of crime.
I have awarded four specialist providers with funding to deliver community-based, trauma-informed support for women aged 18 and over, helping them to build resilience, improve wellbeing and lead safer, more fulfilling lives.
The services will work with women already in contact with the criminal justice system, those experiencing homelessness or housing issues, and others living with mental ill-health or addiction.
More than 110,028 people signed the petition campaigning for the introduction of Maya’s Law to bring stronger protections for children and families, ensuring a debate in Parliament.
This achievement reflects the determination of Maya’s family and the thousands of people who have come together to call for change, accountability and learning to prevent future tragedies.
Pioneering safety measures that I have long campaigned are on the way thanks to the launch of a new national Road Safety Strategy.
The Government’s new blue print for safer roads aims to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035 – and 70% for children under 16 – with a series of consultations in the pipeline on plans to lower the drink drive limit, mandatory eye tests for over 70s, and the introduction of a three or six-month minimum learning period for learner drivers. But much more is needed if we are to achieve these ambitious targets and make a lasting difference.
PCC joins forces with national safety partners to protect young drivers
A new UK-wide campaign backed by bereaved relatives, road safety campaigners, emergency services leaders and policy makers has launched to protect more young drivers.
As the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners’ (APCC) Joint Lead on Roads Policing,
I am one of the driving forces behind Protect Young Drivers – an evidence-based initiative
advocating for improvements in road safety to protect young and inexperienced drivers, which has received cross-sector support across Parliament. The launch has coincided with the unveiling of a new online hub.
