Priorities

Your PCC’s objectives for tackling crime and disorder in Norfolk, as set out in his Police and Crime Plan, are:

• Reduce priority crime, anti-social behaviour (ASB) and reoffending
• Reduce vulnerability, promote equality and support victims
• Reduce the need for service through preventative and restorative approaches and joined up working with partners, protecting the availability of frontline resources.

To deliver against these objectives, Stephen has identified the following priority themes for his work as your PCC:

Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence

Your PCC is committed to improving and maintaining support for victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence, and reducing levels of reoffending in the county. Stephen has recruited Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Coordinator Ian Sturgess to help steer the countywide approach to tackling domestic abuse and sexual violence. Working alongside the statutory and voluntary organisations that work with victims and perpetrators, Ian ensures priorities are joined up and resources are targeted where they are needed most. This partnership work is key to identifying emerging issues, duplication and gaps in support within the county, and that information is then used by the PCC in his commissioning of services to meet Norfolk’s needs.

Mental Health, Drugs and Alcohol

In Norfolk, a substantial amount of police time (estimated at 40%) is spent responding to people with mental health problems. As well as reducing demand on policing resources, your PCC wants to ensure the right kind of support is available to people at the time that they need it so they don’t find themselves in crisis. Stephen has brought local agencies together to commit to improving outcomes for people experiencing mental health crisis, and is supporting Norfolk Police and the local mental healthcare trust to work more closely together.

Alcohol and substance misuse has also been identified as not only putting significant demand on policing but also having an impact on our county’s crime levels. As well as working to better understand the key issues, such as the damage caused by new psychoactive substances (once known as legal highs) in Norfolk and the impact of the forthcoming blanket ban, Stephen has also allocated £250,000 in grants to local organisations working to improve drug and alcohol awareness and provide rehabilitation and support services.

Rehabilitation of Offenders

In order to stop the ‘revolving door’ of offending, it is essential to deal with the root causes which could include homelessness, joblessness, substance misuse or mental health issues. Deputy PCC Jenny McKibben has worked to bring local agencies together as the Norfolk Rehabilitation Board and has recruited Vicky Day, a former Assistant Governor at HMP Norwich with 20 years Prison Service experience, to coordinate partnership activity. Working with the Board, Vicky is increasing support for offenders on release from prison, improving offender access to  health and social care, working with employers to increase training and jobs for ex-offenders and developing an integrated rehabilitation programme for women. She is also responsible for monitoring projects and services commissioned by the PCC to ensure desired outcomes are being achieved. Teaming up with veterans’ charities Walking With The Wounded and RFEA, your PCC is also improving the support available to ex-service personnel coming into contact with the police and entering the criminal justice system with the aim of reducing reoffending.

Supporting Victims and Witnesses

As part of the Government’s strategy to put victims first in the criminal justice system, the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime was launched. The Code outlines what kind of support victims of crime can expect to receive from service providers which, as well as Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), include the police, prison service and court service. Your PCC is committed helping victims cope with the impact of crime, helping them recover from the harm they’ve experienced, and supporting victims through the criminal justice system. Stephen has worked with Victim Support to launch a referral and assessment service for victims of crime so they can access the support they need. Through his commissioning activity, Stephen is also providing specialist support services for child victims and victims of crimes such as domestic abuse and sexual violence, as well as making the option of restorative justice more widely available to victims in our county.

Your PCC has also set a number of policing priorities for Norfolk Constabulary against which he holds the Chief Constable to account.