Cheshire Police has unveiled its new “community policing” model with “dedicated officers and PCSOs” in 122 community areas.
It will include new police bases in community and village halls in and around Nantwich.
A £200,000 funding package has been pumped into the scheme which they hope will tackle crime and ASB at a local level.
There will be a police community base at Stapeley Community Hall, Goodwill Hall in Faddiley, St Mary’s Church Hall in Wistaston, Audlem Public Hall, and Shavington Village Hall.
The initiative has been developed by Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) David Keane.
The new community police officers will work with PCSOs, the wider policing team, and key partners to build relationships within the community.
It aims to solve problems at their root cause before they become more serious.
It should mean residents have more opportunities to directly contact their officers – either online, through social media, or face-to-face during police surgeries.
Community policing teams will be supported by a funding made available by the Police and Crime Commissioner from money seized from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
This will be a £1,000 funding pot for all 122 communities and an additional £10,000 for all eight policing units that local people can bid for to deliver projects which work with the local policing team and key partners to address specific issues.
PCC David Keane said: “My focus will always be to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour, support victims and protect vulnerable people.
“I believe the best way to do this is by delivering a truly local police service that is fit for the future and an integral part of our communities.
“This project is about local police working more closely than ever before with local communities, to meet local priorities.
“With the support of Cheshire residents, we have been able to increase our officer numbers, which has helped make this next stage possible.
“Delivering it has been a key budget priority for me this year and I am pleased we have been able deliver this initiative despite the challenges that Covid-19 has posed and continues to pose on our communities.
“I’m confident having dedicated officers will build on the success we’ve already had in providing each community with a dedicated PCSO and its own community base and will allow us to stay connected to our communities in light of new coronavirus restrictions.
“For me, community policing is an integral part of protecting our communities and my ambition is to make Cheshire the best in the country at community policing.
“I know that we can only achieve this by investing in our communities and our workforce to ensure policing teams and local residents are given the support and tools they need to make our communities safer.”
Chief Constable Darren Martland added: “This is a big step forward and exciting development in our policing model.
“Dedicated police officers will work with PCSOs, volunteers, partners and, most importantly, the communities that we serve, to adopt a preventative and problem solving approach to dealing with the issues that most affect our communities.”
To find out who your community police officer and PCSO are and where you can meet them in your community visit: www.cheshire.police.uk
What a total waste of funds these pcso,s are they have the same powers as a member of the public they get paid £20k + a year, drive around in a car or walk round in pairs taking in the fresh air. They have no powers so stop this pretence and do something useful with the cash.