Column: More police for the whole county is becoming a reality

Nottinghamshire Police's recruitment plans are turning into a visible reality.
Police Community Support Officers.Police Community Support Officers.
Police Community Support Officers.

In Mansfield for example, there are now new Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) on the streets and in the neighbourhoods.

Residents will soon have five more local police officers working to tackle their concerns.

When I attended the recent public meeting in Warsop with local officers we were able to tell people that one of our new recruits is to be trained in Warsop before becoming the local beat manager, working alongside other dedicated officers.

Over the coming months, as officer numbers climb up towards 2,000, there will be more officers across the entire force area.

There also will be more people working out of the public eye on so-called hidden crimes such as cybercrime, child sexual exploitation, domestic abuse, modern slavery and terrorism.

It’s no secret that crime is increasingly taking place online, often with the offender living thousands of miles away in other countries.

That’s why I believe we police must help people to protect themselves, in much the same way that we ask them to secure their homes and vehicles to deter the opportunist thief.

The force website has a lot of advice on how to stay safe on-line and it’s well-worth having a look.

Quite simply, if we can persuade people to use passwords for their phones, tablets and PCs as carefully as they would their front door key then they are less likely to become a victim.

Disappointingly, over the Bank Holiday weekend there were several knife crime incidents.

In response, the police acted quickly, increasing local patrols as well as investigating, arresting and charging people.

There is a huge amount work underway to tackle knife crime and the underlying causes.

But I have also have been working with local MPs to press for tougher mandatory sentences for those caught carrying a knife.

It’s important to remember that for the vast majority of the population, knife crime is not a real threat.

I know that most people simply want to feel safe and secure in their homes and on their streets and that’s not unreasonable.

But the police need your help.

If you have information about a crime, tell the police or if you want to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111