Engaging with our communities

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Wendy Welch
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1 Engaging with our communities

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Contents Introduction 4 Helping Victims 5 Surgeries and forum meetings 6 Enquiry Offices 7 Over to You 8 Annual Public Events 9 Connecting with

3 Contents Introduction 4 Helping Victims 5 Surgeries and forum meetings 6 Enquiry Offices 7 Over to You 8 Annual Public Events 9 Connecting with hard-to-reach groups 10 Media Relations and Neighbourhood Communications 11 Social Media and the Web 12 Derbyshire Alert 13 Internal Engagement 14 3

Introduction Derbyshire Constabulary is committed to ensuring that our service meets the needs of the people of Derbyshire by engaging, listening and reacting, prioritising those who are victims of

4 Introduction Derbyshire Constabulary is committed to ensuring that our service meets the needs of the people of Derbyshire by engaging, listening and reacting, prioritising those who are victims of crime and the most vulnerable. Within this publication, we aim to outline the many varied ways in which Derbyshire Constabulary seeks to engage and consult with the public - from keeping in touch with victims of crime to our annual public engagement seminars. In 2012, we enshrined these principles in our Commitment - our promise to the public on the level of service they can expect to receive from Derbyshire Constabulary. Key to these principles is how we listen to our communities to ensure that the service we provide is the service that they want, and that it fits with their local needs and concerns. By engaging in this way, we can not only help to set our priorities at a very local level with the officer on your street, but it also helps to shape the very direction of the force and how we allocate our resources to tackle the risks and threats to Derbyshire. We understand that face-to-face communication is the best form of communication, which is why every neighbourhood has a Safer Neighbourhood policing team. These teams ensure a visible, approachable presence in our communities, which is vital to maintaining strong links. In addition to this, we have 16 enquiry offices throughout the county that offer convenient, faceto-face access to our services. We also work hard to publicise our appeals, actions and results so that we can make you aware of the actions we ve taken and, critically, enable you to provide information that can help with solving and reducing crime. By doing this, we ensure that our work is as transparent as possible and subjected to the suitable scrutiny. 4

Helping Victims One of our most vital engagements is with victims of crime and witnesses to ensure they get the support they need from the point of the crime all the way through to its resolution.

5 Helping Victims One of our most vital engagements is with victims of crime and witnesses to ensure they get the support they need from the point of the crime all the way through to its resolution. All victims of crime are offered a Crime Contract. This outlines the steps that an officer will take on behalf of the victim, how often they will be contacted, their crime reference number and all the useful contact numbers so the victim can contact the officer and our partners, such as Victim Support. Where the victim decides that they do not want to go to court, and the offender admits their guilt and shows remorse, officers can offer the victim a number of options through the Restorative Justice scheme as to how the case should be dealt with, such as receiving an apology from the offender, an agreement to pay the costs of any damage or loss, or some other form of reparative work. During 2012/13, over 87% of victims were satisfied with our overall service, which shows that we are providing a professional service to our victims, communicating well and dealing sensitively with those who are amongst the most vulnerable. The officer in the case will agree a time frame for progress updates to the victim throughout the life of an investigation and of the result of that investigation. In 2011 we simplified the printed information we give to victims and witnesses, which outlines the help available and the judicial process, from a series of guides to one consolidated DVD and accompanying booklet entitled JIGSAW. From the first court date our witness care officers work closely with the officers in the case; the Crown Prosecution Service; the magistrates, youth and crown courts; Witness Support; probation and intermediaries to help support victims and witnesses through the process. These witness care officers update them on the case progress, bail conditions and relevant changes, and liaise with all witnesses to undertake individual needs assessments so any provisions can be put into place to assist and support the attendance, such as applications for special measures such as screens in court, help with travel and overnight accommodation if required, help with specialist needs and any other support. 5

6 Surgeries and forum meetings Every neighbourhood in Derbyshire has a local Safer Neighbourhoods policing team. These teams are not just comprised of local police officers, Police Community Support Officers and Specials, but are a partnership involving local authorities, housing associations, primary care trusts, the fire service, Neighbourhood Watch, local education partners and key community figures as well as other local services. Our teams are fully integrated into the community as a visible presence, and the local officers, where possible, attend existing parish meetings and similar residents meetings on a regular basis. As well as attending local meetings, as part of our Commitment these teams hold their own quarterly forums. The purpose of these forums is to work in partnership to identify, prevent, tackle and solve local crime, anti-social behaviour problems and safety concerns that are adversely affecting the quality of life for local people. At these meetings, the community can find out about how the previously identified issues have been tackled, and allows them to set the local priorities for the team for the following three months. Where a problem is identified, a lead agency will be nominated to tackle it, and a timescale will be agreed. Updates from these meetings can be found on the force s website, and newsletters are produced and distributed throughout the community to highlight the actions taken. In addition to these forum meetings, drop-in surgeries are organised frequently throughout the year to enable individuals to meet their local policing team at set times and locations, and to have their issues referred to the larger forum meeting. The locations of these surgeries vary to encourage a diverse attendance. When there are particular issues within a community, specific public meetings can be arranged to tackle these. Our officers also link in with members of the Key Individual Networks (KIN), which enables real-time updates from the community on priorities. Anyone within a community can become a KIN by applying through the force s website. 6

7 Enquiry Offices Our enquiry offices allow the public to access the services they require face-to-face at a police station. In addition to providing this local access to our services, enquiry office staff regularly make telephone contact with victims of crime and anti-social behaviour, keeping them informed about the progress of their case. A comprehensive review was undertaken in 2012, which included looking in detail at the services provided at each location and the number of visitors received. This review concluded that there was spare capacity at some sites, and other offices received a limited number of visitors, which offered an opportunity to reduce the number of enquiry offices available to 16 whilst still meeting demand and delivering a quality service. This change made a saving of nearly half a million pounds a year. In making these changes the force fully recognised that enquiry offices are symbolic to the communities of Derbyshire in a way that is difficult to quantify in financial terms, and the decision was not taken lightly. These changes have been publicised through the local media, Safer Neighbourhood teams, and at local public and partnership meetings. Ease of contact surveys are carried out annually by the force to gauge how accessible our services are to the public. In 2012/13, this survey showed that 93.7% of the people surveyed were happy with Derbyshire Constabulary s ease of contact, which included visits to enquiry offices. 7

Over to You In 2014 the Have your Say events will be running under a new name of Over to You and will engage with residents through the county on a monthly basis.

8 Over to You In 2014 the Have your Say events will be running under a new name of Over to You and will engage with residents through the county on a monthly basis. The team will also be visiting key businesses throughout Derbyshire to consult with a wide range of employees. Since 2003 annual consultation events have been run with the prime purpose of determining how our resources should be allocated according to public need. a core part of the strategic risk seminar. This seminar is an annual event where key staff within the constabulary, the Police and Crime Commissioner as well as members of the community safety partnerships and Safer Derbyshire, agree the crime and community safety priorities facing the county and how resources are allocated. It also shapes the Police and Crime Commissioner s Police and Crime Plan. All of the survey results can be downloaded from the Derbyshire Constabulary website. Staff from the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Derbyshire and members of Derbyshire Constabulary have visited towns and villages throughout Derbyshire to consult the public on their perceptions of crime and safety in their area. The survey allows us to identify trends of concern, be they around drug use, anti-social behaviour, hate crime, speeding or other local issues. By going into the community and speaking to residents face-to-face, we gain a real appreciation of what matters most to people. Since 2009 we ve introduced online entries for the questionnaire, ensuring that we make the survey as accessible for as many people as possible. In 2011 we embarked on a special version of Have Your Say within schools, colleges and universities, which specifically sought the views of young people in Derbyshire helping to increase the approachability of our officers whilst gaining an understanding of the issues that young people face in their lives. 8 The results from the consultation are fed directly back into the force operational structure. Officers in the local area are made aware of the concerns of that community and the information also forms

Annual Public Events Throughout the year, Derbyshire Constabulary holds a number of public events to provide opportunities for the public to interact with a wide of range of services within the force.

9 Annual Public Events Throughout the year, Derbyshire Constabulary holds a number of public events to provide opportunities for the public to interact with a wide of range of services within the force. how to access our services. These have included stalls at Derby s Gay Pride march, deaf surgeries, refugee events and open days to assist those with learning disabilities. Held at key locations throughout the county, members of the public have the opportunity to scrutinise our actions, and to ask questions directly to the chief officers of Derbyshire Constabulary and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Derbyshire. The results are fed back to shape the force s policing plan for the coming year. During the year there will be a number of Police Experience and emergency service days to give the public the ability to get hands-on with a wide range of teams, units and departments within the force to highlight the varied work we and our partners perform. It is also an opportunity for us to provide reassurance, advice and any facts about our work that the public may be unaware of. By making our officers and staff approachable in this way, we aim to offer a greater understanding of our work and hopefully see an increase of confidence in the constabulary. We hold Celebrating Achievement Awards ceremonies throughout the year to reward exceptional officers and members of staff. Members of the public are also often thanked for their assistance and bravery during these events. Derbyshire Constabulary has a dedicated outreach worker, who organises events to work with hard-to-reach groups to ensure their voices are heard and to improve their understanding of 9

10 Connecting with hard-to-reach groups Derbyshire Constabulary s equality duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 ensures that we, as a public body, consider the needs of all individuals in our day-to-day work - in shaping policy, in delivering services, and in relation to our own employees. The equality duty has three aims. It requires us to have due regard, as part of the process of decision-making, to our obligation to: z Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act. z Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. z Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. These are age disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. To help us to have due regard we must understand the impact of our policies and practices on people with protected characteristics; some members of whom can be described as hard-to-reach. Derbyshire Constabulary has in place three forums which provide the cornerstone to our engagement with the public, the voluntary and community sector organisations, and our workforce; creating opportunities for them to influence how we deliver police services. avoidable critical incidents. Where such incidents have occurred, they perform a valuable role providing an insight into public perceptions and advising on the sensitivities of proposed actions, as well as acting as a conduit to avoid damaging rumour and misinformation. Comprehensive feedback from the External Disability Reference Group has led to the successful implementation of the Care Card Scheme. This initiative helps people who have difficulty using the phone, limited verbal communication, low levels of confidence or difficulty holding the handset for a long time, access police services. The Staff Networks Forum consists of the five staff support groups, which are the Black Police Association, the Christian Police Association, enable the Disability Police Association, the Gay Police Association, and Gender Agenda. This forum has supported the recent recruitment campaign, offering advice and encouragement to applicants from under-represented communities. These forums meet regularly, facilitated by staff of the Equality Unit. Each group acts as critical friends to the constabulary making sure our dayto-day activities safeguard against disadvantaging communities through a lack of understanding, ignorance or mistaken belief. All of the groups were instrumental in the development of our Equality & Diversity Strategy 2012, updated following feedback in 2013, which details our commitment to significant equality issues over the next four years. 10 Members of the Independent Advisory Group offer ongoing independent advice and well-formed community relations to prevent

Media Relations and Neighbourhood Communications The Media and Public Relations Office, based at headquarters, gives operational support to police officers across the force, providing 24-hour cover

11 Media Relations and Neighbourhood Communications The Media and Public Relations Office, based at headquarters, gives operational support to police officers across the force, providing 24-hour cover to deal with media interest in the wide variety of work done by members of the constabulary. The public has a fascination with police work and, as the service is accountable to the public, the Chief Constable feels it is important that we are as open as we can be. The media relations staff work closely with officers who are dealing with serious crimes such as murder, as well as those who are investigating more minor offences. Large scale, long running investigations can attract enormous media interest from local, national and international news outlets. Their demand for information is insatiable at times. The team is also involved with internal communications and updating the website with press releases. They provide training to officers about the best way of getting coverage for their investigation or initiative and how to make sure that the media are treated in an even-handed, unbiased way. Integrity when dealing with journalists is vital. The force also employs Safer Neighbourhood Communications Officers, whose main role is to promote the good work done by the Safer Neighbourhood teams. They update the force website with information, produce newsletters, press releases and posters to keep the community up-to-date with what is happening in their area. 11

Social Media and the Web The emergence of social media as a major communication tool has allowed the force to expand its capability for sharing and engaging to new levels and new audiences.

12 Social Media and the Web The emergence of social media as a major communication tool has allowed the force to expand its capability for sharing and engaging to new levels and new audiences. An online chat session in 2012 to discuss officer recruitment saw 600 people log on for the four hours the chat session ran for, with the chat session going on to be viewed nearly 28,000 times. Derbyshire Constabulary was one of the first forces on Twitter in 2009, and soon followed this social media début with its own Facebook page. From these we re able to spread the force s appeals, investigations and results using a wide range of multimedia, as well as providing a more immediate, convenient way for the public to interact with the force. Through this fast-paced communications environment, the force is also able to offer a greater insight into its workings with bespoke features focusing on specialist policing teams, operations and investigations. The force has added new opportunities for crime detection and prevention that these platforms offer, using cost-effective Facebook adverts for major appeals and campaigns to better target those within our communities that are most likely to be able to help an investigation or be affected by our messages. We also hold online chat sessions throughout the year, which allows us to hold real-time, anonymous conversations with the public on topics such as domestic abuse, race and equality in Derbyshire, and on the specialist services the force operates, such as the Air Support Unit. It has also allowed us to live blog from public engagement events and feed online questions directly into these meetings. 12

Derbyshire Alert Derbyshire Alert is a free communication system that allows the residents of Derbyshire to be kept informed about what is happening in their communities.

13 Derbyshire Alert Derbyshire Alert is a free communication system that allows the residents of Derbyshire to be kept informed about what is happening in their communities. This information can be local crime, arrest results, missing people and community meeting dates such as Safer Neighbourhood forums or surgeries. Through this system we can circulate quality and timely information to neighbourhoods, by , text or phone. Messages can be mapped to a specific area or specific group, providing information relevant to them, for example, businesses, farms and petrol stations. This ensures the messages go out to the right people. This system is also a vital tool during emergency situations such as chemical leaks, flooding or other large-scale disruptions that require a fast community response. Essential information can be passed out quickly to inform residents of any action to take. More than 23,500 people across the county receive Derbyshire Alert messages. Anyone can register for this service by logging on at or by filling in a registration form at any of our enquiry offices. People receiving the messages also have a choice about the information they would like to receive. This can be done either through the online portal or by contacting a community messaging officer; tailoring the service to their individual needs. The service allows for a two-way flow of information and any feedback or intelligence from the communities as a result of messages is forwarded onto the relevant party, such as the officer on a case, the local intelligence officers or a Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team. We work closely with partner agencies and groups to improve engagement. Any issues that residents may have within their neighbourhoods can be addressed and developed into multiagency working to achieve solutions. We are also able to concentrate on making sure that resources are channelled to the areas that require them the most, resulting in improved customer service, satisfaction and public confidence. 13

Internal Engagement Derbyshire Constabulary is aware that it isn t just about getting our engagement right with the public, but its also crucial to get communications right internally.

14 Internal Engagement Derbyshire Constabulary is aware that it isn t just about getting our engagement right with the public, but its also crucial to get communications right internally. That s why we have dedicated processes for making sure that our officers and staff are fully briefed, and more importantly are able to have a say with how we re run. We have a wide-ranging internal website and briefing system that ensures that the latest information, news and policing resources are available to our officers and staff 24-hours-a-day. This also helps to instil our Commitment and Values to our staff to make sure they are as best equipped as possible to deliver the high-quality policing service we aspire to. Key messages are also distributed as part of our Team Briefs, which are documents designed to be read by line managers to their staff to ensure these important communications are disseminated and discussed. Our chief officers regularly hold both formal and workshop-style briefings, to outline our future direction, our performance and to give members of staff the ability to directly ask questions to the executive team. In 2012 s Chief Officer Briefings, in anonymous keypad voting 99.5% of those in attendance said that they were clear with how the force is performing, and recognise the financial challenges. Further to this, 99.8% were clear about our policing purpose. 14 Officers and staff are also encouraged to challenge decisions, help streamline processes, reduce costs and to improve our service using an open online forum, as well as through feedback into our Moving Forward Programme.

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16 If you require more information, a printed copy, an alternative language document or a different format please contact: Head of Corporate Communications Derbyshire Constabulary Headquarters Butterley Hall Ripley Derbyshire DE5 3RS 101 In an emergency, always dial find us on follow us on 16 Published January 2014 Corporate Communications Design & Print Engaging A4 booklet 1-14

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