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See other news storiesNeighbourhood policing teams launch in hundreds of towns
31 March 2008
Every household across the country now has a dedicated neighbourhood policing team, helping police understand the problems of each specific town.
Neighbourhood policing teams will work within their communities to understand local priorities – whether that's tackling anti-social behaviour, addressing problems caused by drug use, or stopping alcohol-related crime.
Later this year the government will introduce a new policing pledge. It will set a national standard of what people can expect from their local neighbourhood policing team, while also allowing each team to build on that in order to deal with local problems.
By drawing up these local policing pledges, residents will have a real say over how their streets are policed.
This new approach is part of a wider reform of policing in England and Wales, and coincides with the start of new public service agreements setting out the government’s clear commitment to focus on local priorities, while also tackling serious crime that affects the whole country.
A 'new era in policing'
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the move 'marks a new era of policing.'
'Police forces right across the country have done a magnificent job delivering this ambitious goal to give every household a dedicated police team. I congratulate them.
'Every community now has a visible, contactable, and accountable policing team, working with local people to keep their neighbourhood safe.
'I’m determined that every person has access to the same level of support and service when it comes to policing. I encourage everyone to get involved and have a say about how their streets are policed.'
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said, 'Today marks the start of a fundamentally different approach to policing – with the citizen at its heart. I am delighted to have reached this momentous milestone with over 3,600 neighbourhood policing teams in place, consisting of 13,500 police officers and over 16,000 Police Community Support Officers. And I congratulate all the forces involved.'
'A great achievement'
Matt Baggott, of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said, 'Although a great achievement for the service, it is even better news for the people we serve who are noticing the difference. Public confidence continues to rise, as does the level of awareness among local people of who their teams are and how to contact them.
'Problems faced by communities vary and we need to be realistic that in some cases there are no overnight fixes. That said, all over England and Wales neighbourhood policing teams are making a huge difference to improve people’s lives.'
Association of Police Authorities Chair Bob Jones said: 'Police authorities have worked extensively with their forces to ensure that neighbourhood policing is available and accessible to everyone.
'We know from our consultations with communities that they want a visible local policing presence to help solve local crime and disorder problems. Neighbourhood policing teams, working together with other local partners, will give them just that, and bring the opportunity for people to have a greater say in finding local solutions to local problems.'
Find your local neighbourhood policing team
Find details of your local team on the Neighbourhood Policing website. (new window)
