Key Notes of the address by guest speaker David Munro, Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner, to residents at the RA 2019 AGM which took place on 14.03.2019.
This document is an appendix to the Minutes of Meeting of the RA AGM 14.03.2019
Mr Munro explained that his role was to oversee the work of Surrey Police and to act as Surrey residents’ representative in holding Surrey Police to account. He explained that he had been in this role for two and a half years and that the role itself had only existed for approximately seven years.
The Police and Crime Commissioner’s (PCC) role has a strategic and budgetary focus. The PCC is required to take an oath to ensure that the operational running of the police remains outside the scope of the PCC.
Mr Munro gave a presentation to the meeting covering the below listed areas, before inviting questions from the floor:
1. The role of the Police and Crime Commissioner
Key points highlighted:
- As above
- The role is an elected role
- Feedback from the public regarding Surrey Policing appeared to be improving
2. Data slides showing key crime and policing trends
Key points highlighted:
- Please see slides presented available on this RA website
3. Budget (including reasons for the recently advertised higher Council Tax charge element to allow the recruitment of 100 additional police officers, PCSOs and Operational staff across Surrey)
Key points highlighted:
- Mr Munro referred to the leaflet most residents would have recently received through their letterbox regarding an increase in the policing-related proportion of Council Tax. He said that while service cost increases are never welcome, the Government allows a policing and crime budget precept which is higher than inflation. Although public approval ratings of the police are positive, the public feels it does not see enough police – Mr Munro agrees that this is because there are not enough. See below.
4. Staffing (including Chief Constable recruitment update, public access to Woking Police and visibility of Specialist Neighbourhood Teams)
Key points highlighted:
- The increased budget allocation was to facilitate the recruitment of 100 additional staff by the end of April 2020 across Surrey
- Mr Munro had committed to increasing the percentage of front-line staff when he came into office
- The public wanted to see more front-line staff. This was acknowledged although some operational staff would be behind the scenes fighting crime due to the rise, for example, in digital crime. Not all existing open back-office jobs are filled. The 100 new resources would be made up of Front-line police, PCSOs (Police Community Support Officers) and Operational staff
- Mr Munro recognised that the public wanted to see more Specialist Neighbourhood Teams on the streets
- He was aware of feedback suggesting that residents, who wanted to talk to the police face-to-face, no longer knew how to do this with the absence of local police stations and of a visible neighbourhood police presence. The public are very welcome to go to the Borough Council Offices to speak to a police officer face to face
5. Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour (including Burglary, Child Sexual Exploitation, Domestic Abuse, Knife Crime, Drug and Alcohol offences, Fraud, Modern Slavery, Unauthorised encampments, recent cyclist-related, intimidating anti-social behaviour)
Key points highlighted:
- Although Surrey is a ‘safe’ county compared with many, there is no room for complacency
- Recent anti-social and intimidating behaviour by masked youths on bikes in West Byfleet had been acted upon by the police following requests from residents’ groups including the RA. The level of anti-social behaviour had reduced following the imposition of an ASBO across an area of central West Byfleet
- The police are increasingly working with organisations such as schools to address trends in behaviour earlier
- Burglary – There was a spike in incidents in 2018. This has now reduced. Intelligence from the public is key
- Child Sexual Exploitation and Domestic Abuse is taken very seriously by the police and ‘must be stamped out urgently.’ Crime reporting levels have increased and this is believed to be predominantly due to the push for reporting and transparency. The public have a role to play in reporting concerns
- Drug and alcohol offences: data shows that drugs and alcohol are the root of most crimes due to the lowering of inhibitions and the need to steal to feed habits. The chains of exploitation start with child exploitation in places like Colombia and involve often vulnerable young people in UK cities being exploited as ‘County Line’ drug deliverers. This is triggered by those taking drugs who are responsible for creating the demand
- Knife Crime is almost always fuelled by the drugs trade
- There has been a knife amnesty bin-initiative at Woking Police Station
- Fraud (including cyber) – Woking is employing more Fraud Officers – although it is recognised that the task is challenging as the frauds are of an international/pan-national nature
- Modern Slavery – tends to involve illegal immigrants who are trapped thinking they cannot go to the authorities. We should not be complacent thinking this does not happen in Surrey – people are enslaved at work in such places as nail bars, car-washes and behind the gates of rich houses. Intelligence from the public is important to allow police to help victims
- Unauthorised Encampments – A high number (180) encampments in Surrey had been the source of most community friction in 2018. The police’s response has to be compassionate but firm. Trespassing as an unauthorised encampment is not a criminal offence and the police cannot arrest
Questions from the floor included points and questions regarding:
1. Unauthorised Encampments
- A member of the audience stated that he believed the law needed to be changed so that the police could appropriately address unauthorised encampments. Mr Munro understood the concerns of residents and advised that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was initiating a seminar on this issue. Mr Munro acknowledged public concerns that it was seen as if there was one rule for travellers and another for the public in areas such as fly-tipping and trespass. A member of the audience asked why the police cannot act upon encampment vehicles which are without MOT and uninsured. Mr Munro explained that the police do take action but that they cannot impound an off-road vehicle. The audience member asked why the vehicles were not impounded when they drove onto or off the highways. Mr Munro said that movement onto and off the site often happened when the police were not present. He acknowledged that more needed to be addressed on the matter of unauthorised encampments.
2. The Police’s stance on cycling on pavements?
- Cycling on the pavement is an offence and Surrey Police and working with SCC Highways Authority to address this.
3. Benchmarking Surrey policing with that of other ‘best practice’ counties
- A member of the audience asked Mr Munro whether he benchmarks Surrey Police’s performance against the best performing counties in Britain. Mr Munro confirmed that benchmarking is increasingly taking place. Significant work has been done on comparative metrics between Surrey and Sussex police, with both having probably learnt as much as they can from each other leading Surrey to look at other counties for the next stage of benchmarking. In many cases, Surrey compares well with similar forces. In other cases, Surrey compares less well. Learning from these benchmark comparisons is beginning to improve Surrey performance.
4. PCC’s assessment of Surrey Police’s success in the prevention and solving of crime?
- Crime prevention progress going reasonably well but not adequate progress on Crime solving. More focus is needed on this task.
5. Armed-police on Surrey streets?
- An audience member asked about armed-police which he had seen on Surrey streets. Mr Munro confirmed that there are armed-police based in the county.
Mr Munro and his team were thanked for their very informative presentation. Mr Munro’s full and frank responses to questions and his explanations were appreciated by the audience, many of whom stayed on after the meeting to chat to Mr Munro one-to-one.
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