Agenda item

Presentation by the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable of the South Wales Police

Minutes:

The Mayor welcomed Alun Michael, the Police and Crime Commissioner, Matt Jukes, the Chief Constable and Superintendent Gareth Morgan to the annual meeting with council.

 

Members received a presentation from Mr Michael on the expansion of neighbourhood policing to target prevention and early intervention.  Additional officers would be recruited following the recent announcement, by the prime minister, of additional resources.  It was however noted that this would not be immediate as it would take time to train the new police officers.  There would be no additional resources to cover pensions, etc. and a 5.9% increase in their precept had been agreed.

 

In relation to VAWSVDA, GP staff had been trained to spot evidence of domestic violence, etc. and as a result the number of cases had increased.  It was noted that the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) had provided additional funds to cover this for an initial six month period and that thereafter the Health Board would take responsibility for the costs. 

 

Members received circulated at the meeting a flyer promoting the DRIVE project which was ‘an innovative approach to high-harm perpetrators of domestic abuse’, which would be rolled out over the region.  In addition an extract from the Times, dated 16 September 2019, praising the work in South Wales was also circulated.

 

The Chief Constable then addressed council and advised that there was a very positive relationship between the police and the authority, in particular the community safety team, the corporate directors and the cabinet member.  He advised that there was a high turnover of PCSO’s as they went on to become police officers. 

 

It was noted that 8 out of 10 calls received by the police were not crime related and could be anything from social care issues to mental health issues.  Community psychiatric nurses were now based in the control room in order to try and reduce the number of custody cases. 

 

Welsh Women’s Aid also worked with the police in relation to VAWSVDA issues and it was pleasing to note that the South Wales Police Force had the best outcome rate in bringing offenders to justice.

 

In relation to knife crimes and County Lines a lot of resources had been allocated to address these issues as most serious violence was drug related.  Concern was expressed that Swansea was second in the table relating to drugs related deaths, while Neath Port Talbot was 3rd.  However the number of crimes, such as burglary, was reducing.

 

Following the presentations members raised the following:

 

·      The work of the Critical Incident Group (CIG) was raised in relation to County Lines and the wider policing strategy.  Members noted that the work of the Drug Intervention Programme now included alcohol and had been expanded to include those in prisons and after release.  The CIG was rated second in the league table.  Three main areas would be targeted – supply, demand and enforcement.  Work was ongoing to disrupt the supply chain, including the use of vulnerable people to assist in their distribution.

·      Members asked how the recently establishment Violent Crime Reduction Unit would impact on very serious offences and violent offences.  Mr Michael reaffirmed his commitment to dealing with these and a joint strategy had been established.  GP services, hospitals and schools needed to be able to identify possible risk and report this. 

·      Members asked what was being done to mitigate the rise in both cyber-crime and cyber enabled crime and noted that added resources had been made available by the police however this could be difficult as some of the perpetrators were overseas.  Any Digital Inclusion Strategy needed to include a safety element for all age groups.  Work was ongoing with universities to identify the developments being made in the digital arena and Financial Safeguarding Officers had been put in place.  It was agreed that service providers should be pressed to put in place measures to reduce the possibility of both cyber-crime and cyber enabled crime.  Users should be encouraged to access the Get Safe Online service. 

·      Members asked how police resources would be changing over the next 12-18 months, in light of the Government’s recent announcement that police resources would increase significantly?  In response it was noted that the police needed officers who were operationally ready and make a positive impact to diversity within the force.  The first allocation of 136 officers would be in March 2021.  It was noted that the force had 4 main pressure areas:

Police Officers

Non warranted officers eg PCSO’s

Back officers

Vehicles and buildings

and that only the first pressure was being addressed as the additional resources were ring fenced.  It was hoped that the government would undertake a comprehensive spending review to address some of the pressures.

·      Issues around Brexit were raised and the police’s ability to maintain an appropriate balance between addressing any resultant community tensions and other demands.  Assurances were given that neighbourhood policing would continue and that the increase in right wing extremism would be targeted.

·      As prevention of crime was the cheaper alternative, the PCC was asked whether he would consider contributing to the upgrade and running of the authority’s CCTV estate.  It was noted that in North Wales the PCC had agreed to do this.  In response the PCC advised that he was looking at ways to collaborate going forward.

·      Assurance was sought and given that all ethnicities would receive the same service from the police.  In particular the recent incident in Rhondda Cynon Taff was discussed and Members noted that the Crown Prosecution had undertaken a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of the case. 

·      Members expressed concern in relation to the effect of dealing with such things as child exploitation would have on police officers and call handlers and were given assurances that measures had been put in place to support staff.

·      Concern was expressed at the reduction in the number of  mobile police units patrolling the motorways.  The PCC advised that resources would need to be looked at, as they were highly specialised posts.

·      Members asked for feedback on the introduction of the Early Action Together programme within Neath Port Talbot and noted that this was a joint initiative with Public Health Wales to understand the implications of adverse childhood experiences.  A pilot had been introduced in Maesteg with positive results.

 

The Mayor then thanked them for their attendance at today’s meeting and they withdrew from the meeting.