Neighbourhood Watch concerns at front-line police cuts

A neighbourhood watch co-ordinator in Stanwell, near Staines in Middlesex, has started a petition against the Surrey Police Authority's decision to make 50 redundancies - including the crime reduction officer in her area.

Vicki Kapoor-Sood, has been neighbourhood watch co-ordinator for five years and fears that the £1.6 million cut will bring crime back to her area. Surrey police is to cut 50 jobs, including that of the Spelthorne crime reduction officer who liaises with Spelthorne's 170 neighbourhood watch schemes. The 50 police redundancies will comprise 35 front line officers, forensic staff, major crime investigators, and crime reduction officers.

Mrs Kapoor-Sood believes neighbourhood watch as a whole could fail in Spelthorne if there is no professional bobby to turn to for advice, and people will lose confidence and stop informing the police of crimes.

Read the rest of this story from Staines News here

Since publishing this item we have received the following response from Rachel Tills, Superintendent responsible for Neighbourhood policing on North Surrey:

As the Superintendent responsible for Neighbourhood policing on North Surrey I am writing in response to the article published on your web site on the 24 June 2009 ‘Neighbourhood Watch concerns at front-line police cuts’. In particular, Mrs Kapoor-Sood’s petition is against the Government capping the police authority, not against the police force cutting these posts.

The cuts to 50 front-line police officer posts is as a direct result of the Government capping Surrey Police to the amount of £1.6 million regarding the proposed council tax precept bill for 2009/10. The Government have also ‘designated’ Surrey, which, means that the savings must be found in this financial year and every household re-billed at a cost of £1.2 million. The cuts are from a wide range of departments such as; the helicopter, roads policing unit, forensics, and major crime team and include the 11 borough community safety teams where the crime reduction advisors (CRA) posts sit.

Following consultation with the three borough councils in North Surrey (Spelthorne, Elmbridge and Runnymede) the senior management team have decided to cut two of the three CRA posts and undertake the statutory functions of the CRA across north Surrey with one person.

A reduction in posts will require a change in working practice for the police, partners and volunteer groups such as Neighbourhood Watch (NHW). That said we do not envisage a reduction in service for any of the boroughs. Spelthorne Borough Council currently fund a NHW coordinator for 2.5 days a week, Runnymede have four volunteers who work within the station at Addlestone to coordinate their NHW and negotiations are currently underway to provide some formal support for the Elmbridge NHW scheme. The Safer Neighbourhood Teams, consisting of a Neighbourhood Specialist Officer supported by Police Community Support Officers, will continue to undertake the NHW start up meetings and maintain a close link with the NHW schemes on their respective area. Details of the safer neighbourhood policing team can be found on the Surrey Police website. (www.surrey.police.uk). For specialist advice the single CRA, PC Mark Howells, will still be available and he will attend the annual AGMs and provide data and seasonal advice.

These decisions have not been taken lightly. I wish to emphasis there is no reflection of on the individuals concerned who have done an outstanding job in supporting NHW to get to the position it now finds itself in. NHW is such a valuable support to the fight against crime we are determined to maintain and where viable increase the membership of NHW through new schemes.

I have already been in dialogue with Mrs Kapoor-Sood outlining why these cuts have had to be made and what we plan to put in place to ensure there is no drop in support.

More details of the capping issues and FAQ can be found at www.surreypa.gov.uk/petition.asp where readers’ can also signed the on-line petition against the capping.