ANNUAL REPORT 2014-15
Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight
Vaisakhi festival Southampton, April 2015. 2
ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015
contents foreword
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Welcome to the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Annual Report How to contact me
ACHIEVEMENTS
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Protecting people and places through partnership
INDEPENDENT CUSTODY VISITING SCHEME
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FINANCIAL INFORMATION
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Foreword Welcome to the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Annual Report for the year 2014-15. This is my third annual report since being elected Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in 2012 and aims to provide an overview of key developments achieved by my office within the year 2014-15.
The year that has just passed has been an important and busy one for my office. It marked the halfway point for my term in office in which I have been able to see positive developments resulting from the priorities I have identified in my Police and Crime Plan, which states a commitment to social change that will impact positively on policing and crime in our region. Notably, 2014-15 was perhaps the year in which the impact of £80 million worth of cuts to Hampshire Constabulary imposed by central Government were most felt as the force prepared for the Operational Change Programme in April 2015 and the reorganisation of the police estate to make it fit for the future. It was also the year where local communities in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight really started to fully experience benefits from the £4.6m investment I have made in community groups since I became Police and Crime Commissioner through my Commissioning Plan: ¾¾ Priority 1 Improve frontline policing to deter criminals and keep communities safe ¾¾ Priority 2 Place victims and witnesses at the heart of policing and the wider criminal justice system ¾¾ Priority 3 Work together to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour in your community ¾¾ Priority 4 Reduce reoffending
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how to contact me Throughout this year, I have promoted greater partnership working by initiating the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Alliance and the Community Safety Alliance, which bring together key agencies across our region to work collaboratively to improve outcomes for the communities we serve. I have also strengthened the scrutiny element of my role, putting in place a range of regular meetings that enable me to hold the Chief Constable to account on behalf of the public. During 2014-15, I held two Commissioner’s Performance, Accountability, Scrutiny and Strategy (COMPASS), meetings on issues such as confidence in the police and policing in times of austerity. Alongside, my regular one-to-one meetings with the Chief Constable, I have also instated quarterly PROGRESS 21 meetings with him and key members of his team to update on progress that is being made on the Constabulary’s 21 commitments that will aid the operational delivery of the Police and Crime Plan. The Police and Crime Panel for Hampshire and Isle of Wight performs an important role in holding me to account and reassuring the public that its policing service is supported, scrutinized and appropriately resourced. In 2014-15, I attended four Police and Crime Panel meetings and presented progress reports on rural policing, youth offending and victims and witnesses.
Simon Hayes Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight
I am committed to being as accessible as possible to the public of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight; I can be contacted by the following means: Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire, St George’s Chambers, St George’s Street, Winchester, SO23 8AJ 01962 871595
www.hampshire-pcc.gov.uk
opcc@hampshire.pnn.police.uk
@HantsPCC
Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire
If you require any part of this document in Braille, large print, or another language please contact the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner on 01962 871595, or send an email to opcc@hampshire.pnn. police.uk ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015
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PROTECTING PEOPLE AND PLACES THROUGH PARTNERSHIP
ACHIEVEMENTS DURING 2014-15 Throughout 2014-15, I continued to work with key partners in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors (VCSE) to explore the enhanced contribution organisations make to keep communities safe through multiagency partnerships that drive an improvement in the range and quality of service provision for vulnerable groups and individuals.
Highlights for 2014-15:
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voluntary, community and social enterprise schemes funded to the value of
ÂŁ2,906,759 4 Police and Crime Panel meetings with scrutiny sessions on rural policing, youth offending and victims and witnesses
2 conferences held on reducing re-offending and ensuring victims are placed at the heart of the criminal justice system 6
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voluntary, community and social enterprise schemes funded to the value of
£2,906,759
In addition and in partnership with the Chief Constable, I have continued to review tasks that have traditionally fallen to Hampshire Constabulary that should be managed by organisations that have a primary responsibility for them. An example of this is ensuring that people with mental health issues are cared for appropriately. To address this issue, the Constabulary set up Operation Serenity, which has resulted in a significant drop in police custody being used as a place of safety for people with mental health issues. As a result, in 2014-15, 100 people with these issues were housed in custody suites compared to 700 in 2012-13.
The restructuring of the Constabulary and its assets through the Operational Change Programme and the Estate Change Programme demanded considerable planning ahead of the launch in April 2015.
As detailed in my Police and Crime Plan, I have been clear that irrespective of budget cuts, neighbourhood policing needs to remain at the heart of policing in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. This commitment is consistently reinforced by the public when I meet them and consult them on how the council tax precept is spent. Consequently, the Chief Constable has ensured that Hampshire with scrutiny sessions on rural policing, and the Isle of Wight now have 95 neighbourhood youth andcuts victims witnesses Faced with offending continued significant imposedand by policing areas that are coterminous with district central Government, I have worked closely with the boundaries and which will ensure greater Chief Constable to find ways to minimise the impact consistency and coordination in the delivery of these cuts have on frontline roles. policing services.
4 Police and Crime Panel meetings
2 conferences held on reducing re-offending and ensuring victims are placed at the heart of the criminal justice system
£2m savings made as a result of the estate strategy by 2018-19
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meetings held in public on
Confidence in the Police and Maintaining Community Policing in Times of Austerity
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Community Speedwatch schemes supported by
227 volunteers
£135,000 was committed to support the 14
schemes that have been part-funded by the OPCC ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015
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April At the beginning of the new financial year in April 2014, I announced that I would be investing £2.3m in funding for a variety of community projects that are aimed at enhancing policing outcomes, reducing crime and supporting victims in the region. I also announced that I would be investing an additional £331,380 in the Innovations Grant to encourage new creative thinking that supports the priorities in my Police and Crime Plan. This grant led to innovative projects such as the Modern Slavery Partnership, which was launched in September 2015.
May
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I became a full member of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Criminal Justice Board (LCJB) in May 2014, and my Deputy PCC, Robin Jarman was appointed the Chair of the LCJB Victim & Witness sub-group in 2014. This has enabled our victim-focused work to be integrated with key partner agencies and stakeholders. Priorities
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Further to my commitment in my Police and Crime Plan to address rural crime issues, my Assistant Commissioner (Policing and Safer Communities), Judy Venables, and I jointly published the Rural Policing Strategy with Hampshire Constabulary which aims to address the inequality between solved crime rates in urban and rural communities. The Strategy has led to the Constabulary implementing Operation Falcon across rural areas. Priorities
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Assistant Commissioner Laura Franklin at the launch of the Modern Slavery Partnership.
June Laura Franklin, Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner on the Isle of Wight, joined the Anti Human Trafficking partnership with Hampshire Constabulary and other statutory and voluntary organizations, and took on responsibility for Child Exploitation and AntiTrafficking for the OPCC. This development led to the OPCC playing a significant role in funding and developing the Modern Slavery Partnership in the region (launched in September 2015). At the Crimestoppers’ Child Exploitation Conference, Laura spoke about the work that she is leading on behalf of my office with partners to prevent child exploitation. Priorities
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Assistant Commissioner Judy Venables joins me at the New Forest and Hampshire County Show.
The new shared headquarters with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service.
July As part of my Estates Strategy and commitment to more integration and sharing facilities with key partners, myself and the Chair of the Fire Authority announced a plan to co-locate our strategic headquarters, a move which is leading the way nationally. Both organisations have successfully been awarded Government funding (with the police receiving ÂŁ1 million from the Home Office Innovation Fund) to deliver these ambitious plans over two phases of work. The first phase was delivered in November 2015, which saw 100 senior police officers and support staff move into the new shared headquarters with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, which is located next to the M3 with rapid transport access across the county. Priorities
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Tadley
Yateley
Farnborough Aldershot
Hook Basingstoke
Alton
Petersfield
Eastleigh Romsey Strategic HQ
Eastleigh Strategic HQ Bishops Waltham
Southampton
Portswood Hedge End
Lyndhurst
I invited the public to participate in the development of the new Community Remedy. I received a large number of responses, which helped shape the content of the Community Remedy Menu. The Menu will be implemented by the Constabulary and will offer victims resolution of their case through being able to choose from a range of tactical options. This approach is being implemented across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight during 2015. Priorities
Andover
Winchester Operational HQ
August
Waterlooville Park Gate Netley Training HQ Portsmouth Hamble Marine Unit
Lymington
Newport
KEY Police Investigation Centre (PIC)
NPT in partnership building
Custody
TPT in police building
NPT in police building
TPT in partnership building
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Hampshire became the focus of national media interest as a young child was removed from hospital care in Southampton and taken abroad. Questions were being asked about whether a European Arrest Warrant should have been issued, resulting in a search for the child by police across Europe and detention of the child’s parents. As Police and Crime Commissioner, I was able to step forward to talk to the media and explain some of the issues associated with this case when other agencies were unable to do so. I also supported an independent learning review by the Portsmouth Child Safety Board that informed my scrutiny of the Chief Constable in relation to decisions made by the Constabulary during this challenging time. Priorities
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September
October
I launched an online survey to inform my business strategy to help tackle business crime. Cyber Crime emerged as an issue of importance to several businesses in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Consequently, I chose to co-host a business breakfast on this issue in 2015 in association with the Federation of Small Business and Hampshire Constabulary.
As a result of feedback from members of my Youth Commission’s Big Conversation in February 2014 that young people want to be part of the solution to problems in society and not perceived as the problem, I launched the youth engagement campaign, Be Part of the Solution. The campaign encouraged young people to showcase the great contributions they make to protecting people and places in their local communities in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The campaign garnered impressive support from a range of young people and organisations interested in supporting young people, including footballers from Southampton Football Club, the Daily Echo and numerous local partners from the charity sector.
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The public consultation on the Community Remedy closed in September after receiving over 800 responses. The public identified the following four actions as the most appropriate way to resolve issues resulting from anti-social behaviour: ¾¾ Reparative work ¾¾ A face-to-face apology or letter from the offender to the victim ¾¾ Diversionary course e.g. attendance on a Victim Awareness Course ¾¾ Restorative justice or mediation This approach will only be used when the victim is in full agreement, for low-level crimes like criminal damage, low value theft, minor assaults (without injury) and anti-social behaviour. Police officers will then invite the victim to choose an appropriate sanction from the Community Remedy Menu. Once this has been agreed, the offender will be given the option to either accept that punishment, or face the more formal police action for the offence they had committed. Priorities
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The campaign helped us recruit new members to my Youth Commission to build on the good work of the original Commission – many of whom continue to act as mentors for the new members. I am looking forward to the Youth Commission delivering their recommendations on what more needs to be done to ensure that young people feel supported in achieving their full potential. Priorities
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November Since being in post, my office has been liaising with professionals involved in supporting victims of sexual abuse and I was delighted to host a one day workshop that explored what additional steps need to be taken to ensure that they receive the appropriate and tailored support. This workshop marked the start of my engagement programme to inform my Sexual Crime Strategy, which was launched in November 2015. Priorities
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I committed £135,000 to Community Speedwatch Schemes across Hampshire to further develop the volunteer-led scheme. By the end of March 2015, Speedwatch had 227 volunteers working on 27 schemes. 14 of these were part-funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner. Priorities
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I also hosted a conference entitled, Rhetoric or reality: are we truly placing victims at the heart of the criminal justice system? Baroness Newlove, the National Victim Commissioner, spoke at the event and welcomed my call to all local partner agencies to work with me to renew and set their own strategic priorities to incorporate victim-related issues. It also presented an opportunity to report on the progress that my office had made to date on this important priority in my Police and Crime Plan, such as putting pressure on the Constabulary to ensure appropriate facilities are provided for victims and witnesses across our region. Priorities
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In this month, I also awarded grants totalling £164,899 to organisations in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight delivering a broad range of innovative projects. £126,795 was awarded through the Innovation Grant and was shared between eight organisations for projects delivering new schemes, including support for victims of child sexual abuse and youth intervention schemes to reduce anti-social behaviour and drug and alcohol misuse. A further 14 organisations were collectively awarded £38,104 through Small Grants funding to support projects working to reduce crime and support victims. Priorities
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Youth Commission member Casey Taylor joins me promoting ‘Be Part of the Solution’ at St. Mary’s Stadium.
December I hosted the OPCC’s first Progress 21 meeting to hold the Chief Constable to account on progress made on the Constabulary’s 21 commitments that will aid the operational delivery of the Police and Crime Plan. Priorities
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We welcomed Mike Penning MP, Minister of State at the Home Office and Ministry of Justice with responsibility for policing and child protection on his visit to Hampshire.
January I awarded £70,000 for the establishment of the Modern Slavery Partnership, a multiagency partnership that aims to stop vulnerable people becoming the victims of modern slavery and ensure that perpetrators of slavery are prosecuted. Priorities
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As Police and Crime Commissioner, I have regularly expressed caution over the impact of further cuts imposed by central Government. The scale of these unprecedented cuts made it necessary to seek public approval for the policing part of the Council Tax precept to be increased by 1.99% for the following year, equating to a rise of just £3.07 per annum or 26p per month
(6p per week) for an average Band D household but generating an additional £2 million for 201516. In total, around 1000 members of the public contributed to a consultation by the PCC into whether there should be an increase in the precept. At an organised consultation event, 93% of 78 attendees confirmed that they would be prepared to fund an increase – expressing an interest in ensuring that neighbourhood policing remained at the heart of local communities. This event was supported by an online survey in which 77% agreed to an increase of 1.99% or more. Garnering such strong support from the public presented compelling evidence to the Police and Crime Panel that an increase was both necessary and acceptable to residents in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and the increase was agreed. In an attempt to ensure that Hampshire’s MPs are aware of the impact of continued cuts through the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), I attended Parliament to discuss the issue with local MPs. My message was clear, any further cuts beyond the current CSR will impact on neighbourhood policing, despite the fact that Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies (HMIC) has identified this as the way forward for policing. Priorities
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ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015 78 members of the public attended my precept consultation event.
The inaugural meeting of the Community Safety Alliance.
The Chief Constable and I were delighted to welcome Mike Penning, MP and Minister of State at the Home Office and Ministry of Justice with responsibility for policing and child protection, to Hampshire to provide a greater understanding of how Body Worn Video (BWV) is being rolled out in the region to prevent crime, retain confidence and trust in policing and ensure that vital evidence is captured that leads to successful prosecutions of criminals. At the meeting, the Minister met Sergeant Kerry Lawrence, who shared her experience of being attacked while apprehending a suspect for being drunk and disorderly. Because she was wearing BWV, jurors saw irrefutable evidence of the unprovoked attacked and the suspect pleaded guilty to a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm and received three years in prison as a result. The venue for this meeting was the new Winnall Offices building, one of our innovative partnership locations with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service. The site is now home to the Winchester Response and Patrol team and a Joint Operations Unit specialist team, providing a base for both Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police officers. Priorities
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Also in January, I launched and chaired the first Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Reduction Alliance to ensure more coordination between key stakeholders across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The Alliance is attended by council leaders, the Chief Constable, the Chief Executive from Purple Futures, Hampshire’s Community Rehabilitation Company, and representatives from the Clinical Commissioning Groups. Priorities
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Together with the Chief Constable and University of Portsmouth Vice-Chancellor, Professor Graham Galbraith, I opened a new police forensic innovation centre, the first of its kind in the country. The centre is a joint initiative between the University and the Constabulary that will see police and academics working side-by-side to help detect and reduce crime. Priorities
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February Tackling crime and disorder and making communities feel safer is not just a role for the police but, by necessity, involves other organisations. With this in mind, I launched and chaired the first Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Safety Alliance, which aims to work in partnership to prevent duplication, reduce costs, and tackle issues using a joined-up approach. Through this meeting, I will explore with partners how we can work together to tackle the priorities in my Police and Crime Plan by pooling resources and identifying local and shared needs. A new generation of my Youth Commission met to develop their recommendations around what needs to be done to prevent young people from taking legal highs; being anti-social; being victim to - or perpetrators of - abusive relationships; support young victims and offenders; improve relationships with the police and tackle gangs and youth violence. Outcomes from this phase of the Youth Commission will be presented to me, the Chief Constable and other organisations with an interest in helping young people achieve their full potential in 2015. As a result of my Youth Commission, I tasked the Constabulary with drafting a Youth Strategy that ensures adequate focus is applied to the unique needs of young people to ensure they do not become the victims or perpetrators of crime and the relationship between young people and the police is improved, which was a key recommendation from the Youth Commission. The Constabulary presented its strategy in May 2015. Priorities
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The Chief Constable, Andy Marsh and Victim Support Chief Executive Mark Castle, join me signing the contract for the new Victim Care Service.
March At a three-day practitioner workshop event in 2013 that was jointly hosted by my office and the Local Criminal Justice Board, 46 recommendations were made by the 15 partner agencies involved in the event, to improve the victim and witness experience of the criminal justice system. Throughout 2014, my team and relevant partners worked through the recommendations to benefit victims and witnesses. Perhaps most notably, this workshop shaped the redesign of the Victim Care Service (VCS) to better suit communities across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and ensure the victim’s voice is heard. As a result of the workshop, the Constabulary reviewed and improved its victim and witness support efforts, in particular improving the integration and tailoring of victim and witness care needs throughout Hampshire Constabulary. At the end of March, I commissioned the new Victim Care Service, replacing previous national arrangements. Following an open tender, Victim Support was selected to roll out this tailored service for victims of crime in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight from April 2015 for three years.
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We are now commissioning and providing a Victim Care Service purely for Hampshire and the Island, ensuring the effective partnership working between the VCS and local voluntary organisations. The VCS will be at the centre of a network of local support providers ensuring that victims receive support that is tailored to their individual needs, for as long as is needed, from the agency most suitable to provide it. In addition, the service is being extended to people who are victims of anti social behaviour, and will make sure that vulnerable people who are victimised repeatedly will be identified and supported. Priorities
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Also in March, planning consent was granted on land that was purchased on a long lease grant for the construction of a new Police Investigation Centre based in Basingstoke. Work on site started in October 2015 with a target completion date at the end of 2016. Priorities
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Throughout 2014-15 ¾¾ Since taking over responsibility for the police estate, I have assessed and evaluated how and where Hampshire Constabulary provides a service to communities to ensure that the public can access policing services in a timely manner; the estate is cost-effective, provides value for money, and is fit for purpose as the nature and demands of modern policing continues to evolve. The modern police estate should support and cater to the needs of victims and witnesses while respecting the rights of suspects detained in police custody. These considerations drive my estate strategy, which is intrinsically linked to the Chief Constable’s Operational Change Programme. Priorities
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¾¾ In addition to reviewing where policing services are delivered from, in 2014-15 I safeguarded and invested in the Design Out Crime service, which was at risk of being dissolved but is now funded through my office. This service provides a consultancy service to property developers to ensure that new developments are safe places to live, in line with my commitment to protect people and places in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Going forward, I continue to work to ensure that this service is cost effective and returns investment through fee earning opportunities with developers. Priorities
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¾¾ Domestic abuse is an unacceptable crime in society. On a daily basis, hundreds of lives of people living in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are blighted as a result of being abused by a person they care for and trust. I am determined to play my part in tackling this issue while in office. During the year 2014-15, my office worked in partnership with the police, local authorities and organisations specialising in the support of victims and perpetrators of
domestic abuse to improve outcomes for the individuals and families involved. Aware that funding of appropriate support and services is critical, I invested approximately £515,000 in domestic abuse in this year and have made a commitment to continue investing in services that are proven to work. ¾¾ In addition to supporting victims of domestic abuse, I have funded Project CARA which is a pilot that funds experts to intervene when domestic abuse is occurring and there is preparedness by the offender to break the cycle of abuse. This pilot has yielded impressive results to date and is currently being reviewed by the College of Policing to gauge whether this approach would be of benefit in other geographic areas. Priorities
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¾¾ From late 2013, I supported the introduction of a Victim Awareness Course for people who had committed low level offences. Hampshire was the first police force to pilot this innovative approach and it has now been rolled out in eight other force areas. Aimed at those that have committed offences such as retail theft, criminal damage and anti-social behaviour, the recently evaluated course is having impressive results. Data collected during the financial year 201415, showed that 89% of people on the course felt that it had helped them to think about their offending behaviour, and 70% said they would definitely behave differently as a result of the course, with 86% noting that it helped them to think about how the victim might feel as a result of their behaviour. I am pleased to support this pioneering project which has such a strong impact on offenders whilst emphasising the rights of victims. Priorities
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¾¾ My office has continued to liaise with teams from the Supporting Troubled Families Programme, which are making a significant difference locally. I am pleased that the expansion of this approach will see more families supported. I am particularly interested in the unique approach being undertaken in Paulsgrove in Portsmouth which, following extensive local research, is seeking to truly embrace the early intervention prevention agenda with a view to identifying and supporting people at a far earlier juncture. This brave new way of working will take time to evidence results but could show the way for many other public services, and has been identified as national good practice1. Priorities
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¾¾ Since being in office I have explored with partners and stakeholders the use of alternative disposals, including Restorative Justice (RJ), which can be implemented across the Hampshire Policing Area with the aim of reducing re-offending in both young and adult offenders. A great deal of progress has been achieved in this area. Working with the national charity Victim Support and with the support of the Ministry of Justice, I introduced a new Victim Awareness Course for low-level volume crime offenders. This national pilot was launched in February 2014 and is a not-for-profit venture whereby the offender pays to attend a short educational course and is encouraged to reflect on the impact of crime and the impact on victims. All monies are reinvested into Victim Support. The course is being independently evaluated by the University of Portsmouth2 and early results indicate increased satisfaction from victims and positive feedback from offenders. I am also pleased to report that this innovative course has since attracted considerable interest from a large number of other police forces and in time is likely to be offered across the whole country. ¾¾ In recognition of the rights of the victim as detailed in the Ministry of Justice’s Victim’s Code, during 2014-15 my office has worked closely with partners to develop a Restorative Justice Strategy that meets the needs of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. 16
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The Strategy’s primary aim is to improve outcomes for the victims. Because I am also committed to reducing reoffending, a secondary objective of the strategy is to improve outcomes for offenders. I am confident that implementing a Restorative Justice approach will play a significant role in encouraging and supporting offenders not to reoffend. My Restorative Justice Strategy for Hants and IoW was launched in November 2015. ¾¾ During my time in office, I have been committed to exploring new evidence-based approaches that reduce offending, improve outcomes for victims and perpetrators and relieve some of the strain on the criminal justice system. To enable this, throughout 2014-15 I have invested in a range of pilots focused on reducing reoffending, such as a Victim Awareness Course, Community Peer Court, Project CARA and a Restorative Justice ASB pilot, all of which will be robustly evaluated by independent experts. Looking ahead I will ensure that any further initiatives, especially any earlier intervention preventative work is similarly able to withstand scrutiny to ensure that any new approaches to criminal justice work for victims, offenders and the public. ¾¾ As a result of the Transforming Rehabilitation Programme being implemented in March 2014, my office has started to build a relationship with the new Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) that has been commissioned to deliver probation services in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. I was keen to share outcomes from the Reducing Reoffending Conference that I jointly hosted with the High Sheriff of Hampshire earlier in the year that drew together a panel of international experts. The conference led to the formal submission by me of a White Paper to the Justice Select Committee calling for fresh and innovative approaches to managing offenders, providing more effective preventative solutions and alternatives to overcrowded prisons. I am pleased to report that the Committee subsequently took forward a number of our views and recommendations for discussion in Parliament. Priorities
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¾¾ I reviewed the approach used by Hampshire Constabulary to reduce the threat from organised criminals through Operation Fortress, a multi-faceted drugs and firearm enforcement operation, which is targeted against organised criminality. It has delivered impressive results and been nationally acknowledged as good practice. Following consultation with the Constabulary, I agreed to fund the expansion of the Operation for the whole of our police area. Priorities
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¾¾ I have supported the continued use and development of diversionary programmes and other evidence-based innovations, such as the Community Peer Court pilot which was introduced in Hampshire in 2014. This new approach enables young people who have committed a minor offence to be judged by peers of their own age with the aims of making them think seriously about their offence, diverting them from the criminal justice system and deterring them from future offending. Based on a highly successful US
model, I am pleased to report that this pilot has attracted considerable interest – both nationally and internationally – and is currently being reviewed by the College of Policing with a view to establishing another Community Peer Court elsewhere in the county. Priorities
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¾¾ Working with the Constabulary, I have also agreed a new refined list of tactical Out of Court disposals for frontline police officers. This approach, which is designed to reduce reoffending and divert people away from the criminal justice system, will also be rolled out during 2015-16 and linked to the new Community Remedy. ¾¾ My team continues to engage with the four Youth Offending Teams that cover the Hampshire Policing Area, and other relevant partners, to develop effective interventions and programmes that reduce the number of young people entering the criminal justice system. Priorities
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1 https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/troubled-families-portsmouth 2 http://whatworks.college.police.uk/Research-Map/Pages/ResearchProject.aspx?projectid=228
Community Peer Court volunteers at their graduation ceremony, June 2014.
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My youth engagement campaign Be Part of the Solution has encouraged young people to showcase the great contribution they make to protecting people and places in their local communities.
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Independent Custody Visiting (ICV) Scheme In accordance with section 51 of the Police Reform Act 2002 and the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, I have a responsibility to ensure there is an effective Independent Custody Visiting (ICV) scheme. ICVs are volunteer members of the public who are impartial, independent of the police and have no direct association with the criminal justice system. Their role is to visit all police custody suites across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight unannounced to evaluate the welfare of detainees. Such a scheme has been in place in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight since 1986, long before it was made a statutory requirement.
Visit frequency The scheme guidelines state the frequency with which visits are made to each custody facility in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. This is determined by the size of the facility and its hours of operation, and ranges between three and four visits per month.
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Special visits can be scheduled at the request of either Hampshire Constabulary or the PCC for the purpose of public reassurance and scrutiny. During 2014-15, there were no requests for special visits.
Access time to custody Scheme guidelines dictate that access to the custody environment should be granted to ICVs within five minutes of their arrival, unless there is an exceptional reason explained by the custody sergeant. All instances where access time is more than five minutes are raised with the relevant custody inspector. During 2014-15, ICVs were given access to custody in 95% of all visits.
Detainees seen
Religious materials in custody
During 2014-15, 28,003 detainees passed through all custody suites across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. At the time of the visits by ICVs, 1,702 people were detained, of these 1,182 were available to be visited and 1,130 detainees were seen by visitors. This represents a 96% uptake.
As well as checking on the welfare of detainees, my volunteers inspect other areas of the custody environment to ensure the facilities are safe and of an acceptable standard. During 2014-15, a recommendation was made that more appropriate storage be provided for religious materials, and that a wider selection of religious texts be made available in all custody suites.
Volunteers At the end of 31 March 2015, there were 55 ICV volunteers in the Hampshire scheme, divided into four panel areas – North (serving the Aldershot and Basingstoke custody suites), South East (Waterlooville, Portsmouth and Fareham), South West (Southampton and Lyndhurst) and the Isle of Wight (Newport). Each panel met four times during the year to discuss issues arising from visits made. An annual seminar for all volunteers was also held. The convenors of each panel area also met four times during the year with the ICV Scheme Coordinator and Central Custody Team Inspector from Hampshire Constabulary to discuss force-wide custody matters and the general operation of the ICV scheme. I wish to place on record my thanks to all of my volunteers for the work they undertake on my behalf throughout the year.
The Central Custody Team of Hampshire Constabulary, including faith and religion champion colleagues, sought guidance and advice from local community faith leaders on how best to bring facilities up to the required standard. As a result, new display units were installed to enable all religious materials to be stored with the required dignity and respect. The College of Policing has subsequently been asked to provide national guidance following the changes within Hampshire to drive improvements in police custody suites nationally. I would like to acknowledge and thank those in the Central Custody Team for the swift response in this matter. I am confident that those who seek religious support while in police custody will be dealt with appropriately.
Our volunteers are engaged and passionate about what they do. They are highly valued for the service they provide assuring the welfare of detainees.
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FINANCIAL INFORMATION There continues to be significant financial risks in the medium term due to expected reductions in Government grant funding which have been ongoing since 2010 and are still taking effect. The financial risks have now been further increased as a result of the Government’s current review of the formula they use to allocate financial resources to all of the Police Forces across the country. I have argued for a number of years that, based on the Government’s own published calculations, the existing funding formula is unfair on the people of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to the tune of £10m. In simple terms, this means fewer police officers to keep people safe. My response to Government is that any revised funding formula must meet the stated intention of the Minister, creating a system that is fairer than the current model rather than just reinforcing the status quo because it is easier. It must ensure that all police bodies are funded based upon the same principles, supported by transparent and verifiable data. I agree that any formula should be robust, stable, transparent and future proof but question whether the principle of incentivising Government objectives is appropriate as it challenges the mandate I have as the locally elected Police and Crime Commissioner. I believe that the funding model should be based upon the two key drivers of the demand on policing:
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ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015
¾¾ Population – I believe that this should be increased from 25% (as proposed in the consultation) to 33%. ¾¾ Licensed Establishments (bars) – The current proposals see this account for 10% of the overall formula, but could see a force with 1000 bars receive the same funding as one with 100 bars. That cannot be right. If the new formula is to have an element that takes into account the number of bars and restaurants, it should focus on the ‘number of bars’ as opposed to ‘bars per hectare’ in order to fairly reflect the scale of the policing challenge. I strongly support the new formula being implemented from 2016-17 financial year, which would provide future funding certainty with the transition completed by 2019-20, the current Parliamentary period, which would give forces greater clarity and would ensure that forces are eventually funded on a fair basis.
The Constabulary is making very strong progress in delivering the cost reductions in response to the Government’s austerity measures. The first phase savings programme to deliver £54m over 2011-15 is complete, and implementation of the second phase programme of £25m for delivery over 2015-17 is progressing strongly, all in line with the Medium Term Financial Strategy I approved in February 2015 which sets out the financial challenges ahead, and the plans to meet those challenges. The Revenue Budget outturn for 2014-15 is an underspend of £7.097m (2%) for the combined accounts of the OPCC and the Chief Constable. The net underspend will be transferred to the Performance Reserve (£2m) to deliver targeted policing performance in key areas and to the Grant Equalisation Reserve (£5m) to be used, if required, to meet front-loaded funding cuts whilst savings plans are implemented. With regard to the Capital Programme for 2014-15, this was updated as part of the Budget 2015-16 process, to reflect changes in spending profile; in particular, revised amounts for the Estates Change Programme when I approve the amended programme. Reserves as at the end of 2014-15 have a balance of over £83m. However, amounts held on behalf of partner organisations, such as the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Safer Roads Unit, mean that the actual usable revenue reserves at the end of 2014-15 are £67m. The usable reserves are currently forecast to go down to £8.7m by March 2019, in particular, the use of the Transformation Reserve to pay for the cost of changes required to address the reduction in Government funding over
that period, coupled with the probable use of the equalisation and risk reserves. There is a protocol in place for each Reserve and all allocations are subject to my decision. I need to make it clear that the underspend in 2014-15 is part of my strategy to deliver cost reductions as early as possible whilst being mindful of performance. This is necessary as I need to create one-off resources in order to invest in the programme of change to deliver future savings, for example, new digital technology: this is sound financial management which you would expect of me. The Constabulary has now implemented the Operational Change Programme. This programme of work has restructured the way that frontline services are delivered and will create a considerable proportion of the £25m savings target for the two year period 2015/17. It uses technology and new ways of working to improve the efficiency of officers and staff. There is also significant progress being made with changes to the Estate and IT infrastructure to deliver the new approach, which has required significant one-off capital investment particularly in relation to buildings, IT, devices and employee related costs of change. My attention will now turn to a refresh of the Medium Term Financial Strategy. An initial refresh is planned for the end of September, which will inform the 2016-17 budget setting process. There are obviously significant uncertainties regarding the level of Government funding which I hope will be made clearer in December 2015 to allow me to set the Council Tax level in February 2016. The Medium Term Financial Strategy will also capture approved allocations and updated estimates for the investment costs and reflect those in the capital programme and reserves strategy.
ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015
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The year that has just passed has been an important and busy one for my office. It marked the halfway point for my four year first term in office in which I have been able to see positive developments resulting from the priorities I have identified in my Police and Crime Plan, which states a commitment to social change that will impact positively on policing and crime in our region.
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire, St George’s Chambers, St George’s Street, Winchester, SO23 8AJ 01962 871595 www.hampshire-pcc.gov.uk opcc@hampshire.pnn.police.uk @HantsPCC Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire