Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner Lord Willy Bach has turned to online technology to help him stay one step ahead of public safety and policing throughout the pandemic.
The PCC has participated in regular telephone conferences organised by local MPs to discuss the impact of coronavirus in Leicestershire and issues facing the community during lockdown.
This week’s meeting focused on the number of enforcement actions taken by the police, the impact of relaxed restrictions on popular visitors’ spots, PPE availability in care homes and the financial implications of the epidemic on the police budget.
The PCC also joined a virtual meeting involving senior police officers from across Leicestershire to discuss recent crime trends.
Crime has fallen significantly since the outbreak and officers advised the PCC that this had freed up police resources to carry out proactive work on a range of crimes which had resulted in several arrests.
The meeting also delivered positive feedback on the implementation of a new target policing model before the pandemic which had helped neighbourhood teams rapidly respond to demand pressures brought by lockdown.
Willy Bach said: “Engagement is a huge part of my role and helps me to maintain transparency and accountability on behalf of the public. Although the pandemic has undoubtedly impacted our activities, we’ve been working very hard to identify new and alternative ways to do business and protect democracy.
“Over the last few weeks, we’ve continued to hold safety briefings and multiagency discussions on safety issues and the response to the pandemic. In the near future we will be providing opportunities for the public to share their views and make it easier for our communities to report feedback.
“This is an immensely difficult time but rest assured we are doing everything possible to keep Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland safe and support our communities in any way we can.”
The PCC is planning a series of virtual engagements including a round table with senior officers and representatives from Community Safety Partnerships. There is also a virtual Q & A planned for the public to discuss crime and policing issues as the restrictions lift.
The PCC is also blogging regularly and will respond to community enquiries via Facebook and Twitter while phone calls and written correspondence are still being handled promptly.
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Posted on Tuesday 19th May 2020