The government's policy is simple, to ensure that it's citizens are safe and secure, providing effective policing using both the police and local authorities working closely together to put in place a crime prevention programme which unites a number of groups from the police to local authorities and also the public creating a larger force fighting crime. The initial idea is to use local communities, setting up neighbourhood crime prevention groups making it easier and safer for the public to report crime with complete protection and anonymity.

The challenges facing policing are ever greater, criminals are becoming more sophisticated and the public expectations are increasing. The threat from terrorists has made the public more aware and the threat is real. Using the public not only limits any threat but also builds public confidence and trust.

There is evidence so far that these developing neighbourhood policing drives are showing positive results so far, but is this purely noticeable now because currently there is funding for setting up these programmes and whilst funding is available it works but what happens when there is no funding? Are we the public going to be paying even higher taxes to compensate for having the benefits of this programme instead of it being a government funded scheme?

But not only is funding possible going to be an issue but what about the relationship between the police and the public, for a long time now there has been animosity and in recent times some ethnic minorities believe our law enforcement teams are somewhat racially motivated when it comes to arrests, but this is far from the truth. Re-building the relationship is vital if people are expected to go to court and give evidence, give witness statements or information relating to an arrest.

Tackling crime and a...

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