Herts Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd publishes five-year strategy

A new blueprint for policing, community safety and criminal justice in Hertfordshire has been published by the county's police and crime commissioner.

Following his re-election last year, David Lloyd has consulted residents to draw up a new five-year strategy. Entitled "Everybody's Business", it takes an evidence-based and prevention first approach to policing in the county.

It prioritises tackling violence against women, girls and children, cybercrime, road safety and anti-social behaviour. Bolstering trust in the police is also a central plank of the strategy.

Mr Lloyd said: "This plan is built on my manifesto promises and forms a contract with the public on what they have told me are the priorities they want to see action taken on.

"The police uplift programme gives us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to consider where we should best place the additional resources and I have been clear that my focus is on crime prevention.

"There can be many approaches taken to deliver effective crime prevention, including early interventions, deterrence measures, target hardening and rehabilitation. For me, the only important measure is 'what works?'

"Police and partners need to use the highest-quality research evidence to look at how to reduce a specific crime problem and tailor the intervention to the local context and conditions.

"This plan also reflects on an area that has been important to me for some time – violence against women and girls. Recent tragic incidents nationally have brought the issues to the fore in the public's perception.

"Nationally, the whole issue of legitimacy of policing is something which the public is concerned about and we must react to. Policing is built on a code of ethics which forms the foundation of standards of professional behaviour and is a key determinant of public confidence in policing. We must get these right if we are to have a police service that is fair, ethical and representative, and ensure that it is seen to act with integrity, honesty and compassion."

For more details see https://www.hertscommissioner.org/your-pcc/community-safety-criminal-justice-plan/ .