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Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner is so concerned about an increase in shoplifting and rural crime she has added theft as a priority to her emerging police and crime plan. 

Alison Hernandez also details how she wants police and partners to do more to reduce alcohol-fuelled crime in her draft 2025-29 plan – which sets out the vision for her term of office. 

In it she identifies antisocial behaviour, drug and alcohol abuse, violence and theft as priorities, and describes how she proposes to tackle these in towns and cities, in rural and coastal areas and on the counties’ roads. 

The draft plan sets out an overarching priority of improving policing services and describes how she intends to commission services to meet its aims and measure performance. 

Residents of the force area are being invited to view the draft plan and complete a short online survey so their views can be considered before the plan is finalised. Partners such as those involved in Community Safety Partnerships and organisations who provide services to victims are also being asked to give their views. 

The Commissioner said the views of members of the public shaped all her work. 

“It is my duty to be the voice of the public in policing and bring to the table their concerns as we plan what policing should look like, and shape the services I provide to victims of crime and to reduce reoffending,” she said. 

“For many years people have told me they want a more connected and visible police force, and one which focuses on the things that make them feel unsafe, such as antisocial behaviour, dangerous driving, drugs and alcohol. We have responded by establishing a road safety partnership and investing heavily to bolster police numbers and reopen police enquiry offices in 13 communities. 

“As we look ahead I am increasingly concerned about rural crime and the scourge of shoplifting which is affecting businesses and leading to a sense of lawlessness. For that reason I have added tackling theft as a priority. 

“My plan will bring focus to police and partners and is designed to create safer, connected, resilient communities where everyone has a part to play. Now I want the people I serve to have their say on this proposal.”  

Residents of the force area can have their say by completing the survey at https://bit.ly/3BhjTxT by midnight on Sunday, October 27. 

The Commissioner’s community engagement team will be consulting members of the public on the draft plan at events up and down the force area. For details of these events see https://devonandcornwall-pcc.gov.uk/public-engagement. 

Partners of the Police and Crime Commissioner will be asked to provide a narrative response to the draft plan. 

It is five years since I led a delegation of politicians and police representatives to central London to make the case for central Government to invest more in policing here in Devon and Cornwall.

My argument was not that our society is ridden by crime – in fact it was (and still is) one of the safest parts of England and Wales.

The nature of the area and the people that our police serve, mean, however, that Devon & Cornwall Police responds to huge numbers of ‘non crime’ incidents. These can be road traffic collisions, missing people cases, managing sex offenders, safeguarding children from abuse and exploitation online and in their community along with still taking calls to help people who are mentally unwell. Tragically we have more people taking their own life than comparative police force areas.

To add to this picture, the peninsula nature of the force area means our force is more limited than others when it comes to calling for help from others. And we have more visitors than each of the police force areas apart from the Met’s.

In the year after I was first elected to post I was told by many of you that there were not enough police officers in our cities, towns and villages. The data bore this out, with Devon and Cornwall Police having a lower officer density than even other rural police force areas.

Since my delegation went to London a lot has changed. With the support of our communities through their council tax bills I embarked on a mission to recruit more police officers and open more police enquiry offices to the public.

With the central Government police uplift we were able to add rocket fuel to our recruitment programme, meaning there are now more police officers in Devon and Cornwall than there have been at any time in the force’s history.

The project to reopen police enquiry offices has seen 12 of those which closed more than a decade ago reopen and one open for the first time. Five more will reopen between now and April next year. This has transformed contact for thousands of residents, who now have the option of speaking to a friendly face in their community if they choose to.

All this has taken significant investment. Police officers need uniforms, Tasers, computers, radios and cars. Police enquiry officers need staffing. Despite this investment there is still a perception in our communities that police are not as visible and accessible as people would like. 

In Torquay I have supported additional investment in highly visible hotspot policing to tackle the issues people say matter most to them, antisocial behaviour and drug abuse in the town centre which makes people feel unsafe. Here I have bolstered central Government funding by an additional £200,000. These patrols led to dozens of arrests, suppressed crime and given residents and shopkeepers a renewed confidence in policing.

My emerging Police and Crime Plan will build on this approach and provide hotspot policing for more parts of the force area, where the same issues are faced by the law-abiding and tax-paying majority of our residents.

And although progress has been made, I will continue to fight for more central Government funding for the services which make a real difference. Together we can build stronger, resilient and connected communities where everyone has a part to play.

I am conscious that in recent weeks this column has focused on some weighty topics and so this week I would like to lighten the mood by talking about some of the great work done by small organisations with the help of my office.  

My Community Grants Scheme has been running for a number of years now and offers a way for charities and voluntary groups to access funding to carry out work that supports my Police and Crime Plan priorities.   

I see this as a vital route into our communities, especially those which might not have easy access to more widespread support and initiatives which help to keep crime down and keep residents and businesses safe.  

Every year I set a theme which applicants must meet in order to qualify for funding which this year is for crime prevention measures and tackling drug and alcohol related antisocial behaviour, as well as projects or activities aimed at preventing violence against women and girls.  

This financial year I have made £200,000 available for charities and voluntary groups in Devon and Cornwall whose work meets this criteria and I look forward to hearing about some of the great work which has been enabled by this investment.  

In addition to the Commissioner’s Community Grants, Police Property Act funding is also available from sold property which has come into the possession of the police in connection with a crime and where the owner cannot be found can be sold; or from property which has been forfeited following a conviction and by order of a court if it was used or intended for use in a crime.  

Both funds are distributed by Devon and Cornwall Community Foundations. Applications have recently closed for groups in Cornwall to apply, but the good news is Devon’s round has just been launched and groups have until the beginning of October to get involved.  

Grants of up to £5,000 are available and are being delivered in partnership with Devon Community Foundation (DCF), which says the funding is so valuable as it allows those who have a deep understanding of the issues and challenges in their own communities to create their own solutions, which helps strengthen communities and builds greater resilience to crime.  

DCF has also shared some of the work supported by last year’s Commissioner’s Community Grants. Resilient Lives CIC last year secured funding for a skills and training programme created for people recovering from drug or alcohol addiction in Torbay.  

The project helped support people out of addiction by teaching them to make wood-fired, sourdough pizzas, and sell them by developing skills to manage front-of-house, market and brand a business, advertise it and run a pop-up market stall in their community.  

Simon Dyer, the CEO of Resilient Lives, says this kind of project is key in offering a way forward for people who are moving away from support services, reducing the risk of overwhelm and giving them the chance to move on, earn a living and prevent the return to a pattern of behaviour that can be prompted by a fear of failure.  

Over in Cornwall, Groundworks South Trust won grant funding to create a youth club for young people of Callington to spend time with like-minded peers to divert them from participating in antisocial behaviour.    

It involved working outdoors to clear and rejuvenate a green space to allow more accessibility for residents within the area. The funding was also spent on making the youth club an attractive place for young people to spend their time.  

A youth worker was employed whose main role was to have discussions with the members regarding the issues of antisocial behaviour, substance misuse and mental health concerns, and members were also able to access training with a GB boxing coach.  

Young people were given the opportunity to train with a GB boxing coach at a youth club in Callington 

I am delighted that this funding is being used to transform the lives of young people and those who just need a helping hand to make and sustain changes that will give them the opportunity to escape the grip of addiction.  

These schemes, while small in scale, are helping people on an individual and community basis to all of our benefit.  

What could you spend up to £5,000 on to make our area safer?  
Applications for the Commissioner’s Community Grants and Police Property Act funding in Devon are open until October 2. To apply visit https://devoncf.com/grants/small-grants/ 

Regular readers of my weekly column will know that I’m passionate about improving community safety in our towns and cities, particularly in problem hotspots that are blighted by the menace of antisocial behaviour, drug dealing and violence. 

I know very well – from recent public engagement events and my budget survey results - that residents up and down the peninsula are fed up and want these problems resolved for good. That’s why I am proposing to include tackling antisocial behaviour and reducing violence, drug dealing and theft as priorities for the new Police & Crime Plan that’ll be published later this year. You can be assured that I won’t shy away from addressing these problems but I can’t pretend there are quick fixes either. 

All too often, the issues we’re facing in our town centres stem from a complex range of societal challenges that require communities to work with a range of services to solve – that way, we can ensure local solutions genuinely match local need. And that’s exactly what’s happening at the moment in Paignton, Camborne and Redruth, where Home Office Safer Streets funding is helping local councils address interconnected problems in their towns head on. 

Between them, their local areas will directly benefit from nearly £800,000 worth of community safety funds – to be spent on evidence-based projects such as improved street lighting, enhanced CCTV and street marshals in town centres, plus specialist youth workers and restorative justice ‘circles’ to tackle persistent antisocial behaviour.

I’ve written about this before, but it’s through the tactical and timely use of ring-fenced funds, such as Safer Streets, plus the dedication of enhanced neighbourhood policing teams and personal commitment from community leaders, that towns can really turn a corner. I welcome this targeted investment in our region’s towns and have high hopes for the positive change it will achieve on behalf of residents.

As I outlined in last week’s column, I have secured additional Home Office funding for hotspot patrols in 13 towns and cities across Devon and Cornwall. Camborne and Paignton are two towns that are benefitting from these additional policing patrols, where the force’s tactical and preventative approach is really boosting peninsula community safety during the busy holiday period, and beyond. 

So it was disappointing to see a series of negative stories in the national press about the challenges being faced by Camborne recently – challenges that community safety partners are working hard to address. An area with a proud mining and tourist heritage, these articles have unhelpfully cast the town of Camborne in a bad light in peak-holiday season, falsely attributing town-centre antisocial behaviour to homeless residents of the new housing pods in Rosewarne Car Park. This misleading journalism could damage community spirit and tarnish the town’s reputation, just when sustained collaboration is needed to ensure progress, for residents and visitors alike.

I would draw readers’ attention to the good work that’s under way in both our Safer Streets funded areas – strong partnership work that I witnessed first hand when I visited Camborne, Redruth and Paignton back in the spring. It was clear to me then that neighbourhood police, council leaders and their commissioned agencies were fully committed to the vital task of community improvement and determined to spend funds wisely for the public good. I applaud this collective endeavour and will continue to support a multiagency response to tackling the menace of anti-social behaviour, drug dealing and violence across the region.

Help us tackle crime in your community by reporting it to Devon & Cornwall Police. Always call 999 in an emergency. You can also contact 101, use the online reporting form, or report incidents anonymously through Crimestoppers. 

A new youth club and an allotment ‘safe space’ for young fathers experiencing difficulties are among projects tackling antisocial behaviour and substance misuse issues in Cornwall funded through the last round of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Community Grants. 

Applications for this year’s grants are now open, and charities and voluntary groups working to improve community safety can apply for grants of up to £5,000 for crime prevention measures and tackling drug and alcohol related antisocial behaviour in the county. 

The grant scheme is being delivered in partnership with Cornwall Community Foundation (CCF) and aims to benefit small and medium-sized organisations whose work contributes to the Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan.  

The Commissioner works to enable safer, more resilient communities and this scheme aims to empower smaller voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations to play a role in both progressing and informing PCC priorities.   

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “I am committed to creating safer communities and everyone has a part to play. This fund will help grassroots organisations carry out extra work which will improve the lives of people in Cornwall. 

“I know that antisocial behaviour is a major issue for residents who regularly tell me about the negative impact it has on their lives, which is why I made it a priority in my Police and Crime Plan. 

“I would like to urge any charity or voluntary group who provides education or activities for people with antisocial behaviour issues to apply for funding, so they can continue to make a real difference in reducing the misery this issue can cause. 

“I am also making this funding available to support groups who are working hard to tackle violence and road safety which are also priorities in my Police and Crime Plan. I urge any organisation that is working to create safe, resilient and connected communities to apply for a grant before the July 22 deadline.”  

Tamas Haydu, Chief Executive at Cornwall Community Foundation, said: “It is hugely rewarding to see how local projects are benefiting from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Community Grants and supporting their communities. The fund is vital to help in our vision of strong and resilient communities across Cornwall. We look forward to receiving applications and distributing this next wave of funding.”   

The Commissioner has been working with Cornwall Community Foundation since 2021 to deliver grant schemes to benefit residents. To date, more than £196,000 has been distributed through 52 grants. Grants have been awarded to groups and charities working to connect communities, prevent and deter crime, and protect people at risk of abuse.  

Applications to the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Community Grant are now open. To apply, visit https://www.cornwallcommunityfoundation.com/grants/commissioner-community-grant-scheme-summer2024/ The deadline for applications is July 22, 2024. 

Case study: Groundworks South Trust 

The Groundworks South Trust is a national charity which brings transformative development to deprived communities. They received a grant of £5,000 from the Commissioner’s Community Grant Scheme to create a youth club for young people of Callington to spend time with like-minded peers to divert them from participating in antisocial behaviour (ASB).  

The project was born from the funding and initiative of the #iwill movement where young people are encouraged to engage in a social action project. It involved working outdoors to clear and rejuvenate a green space to allow more accessibility for community residents within the area.  

The funding was also spent on making the youth club an attractive place for young people to spend their time, this included the purchase of electronics, pool table, board games, food, and also for members to undertake training with an accredited GB boxing coach (pictured). This funding also went toward to employment of a youth worker whose main role was to have discussions with the members regarding the issues of ASB, substance misuse and mental health concerns.  

Feedback from beneficiary: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the support and belief you have shown to us in delivering this very valuable project. It has had a direct positive effect on the young people of South East Cornwall. We had managed to create a well accessed youth provision which had community interest at its heart. This would not have been possible with your support, so thank you.” 

Case study: WILD Young Parents 

Funding from the Commissioner’s Community Grant Scheme has enabled WILD Young Parents to provide a safe 'outdoor space' at their local allotment to enable dads and their families to spend quality time together and offer opportunities for work outside with families. 

This space provides young dads new skills in gardening, growing food, tending an outdoor space, working as a team, and spending positive time with their family. 

WILD Young Parents have found their fledgling allotment to be a great space for dads to open up about their feelings, spend quality time with their families, bond with other dads, and feel a sense of achievement. 

Our WILD dads often face complex barriers to parenthood; four in 10 have had contact with criminal justice, six in 10 have experienced mental ill health, and one in five struggle with addiction or substance dependency issues. This space will help to combat these issues by: 

• Increasing contact time with child Increasing enjoyment of time with child Improving communication between parents Better able to describe and express emotions and mental state 
• Teaching coping strategies for feeling calm when faced with trigger points 
• Increasing physical activity 
• Improving healthy eating 

Members of the public are being sought to sit on police misconduct panels in Devon, Cornwall and Dorset. 

The offices of the two Police and Crime Commissioners are recruiting Independent Panel Members (IPMs) following changes to how misconduct cases are heard. 

From next month, Chief Constables will have increased powers to terminate the employment of police officers found guilty of gross misconduct. 

Two members of the public will now be required to sit alongside the Chief Constable for all serious misconduct hearings.  

Applicants must be over the age of 18, with an understanding of the need for high standards of conduct in the police service and a commitment to fairness and equality. 

No legal expertise is required, however previous experience of law, HR practice or senior management would be beneficial. Applicants should hold strong analytical and communication skills, self-confidence and the ability to take a balanced, open-minded and objective approach. 

Those successful will form part a pool of members who will be selected to panels presiding at police misconduct hearings across all three counties, with the opportunity to support panels across the wider South West. 

The voluntary role, which attracts an allowance and expenses, will run on a four-year initial term, with the potential to be renewed up to a maximum of 10 years.  

A spokesperson for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly said: “With police standards under the national spotlight we welcome this move to ensure robustness in misconduct hearings, which strengthen the trust and confidence in the force not only in our communities but also among the policing family.  

“This rewarding role is an excellent opportunity for members of the public with an interest in policing, fairness and justice to make a real difference in ensuring our police force, and that of our neighbours in Dorset, is held to the high standards rightly expected by the public.” 

Applications close at 4pm on Monday, May 13. Click here for more information and details of how to apply.

Qualified lawyers are being sought as advisors for police misconduct hearings in Devon, Cornwall and Dorset. 

The offices of the two Police and Crime Commissioners are recruiting Legally Qualified Persons (LQPs) following changes to how misconduct cases are heard. 

From next month, Chief Constables will have increased powers to terminate the employment of police officers found guilty of gross misconduct. 

LQPs are required to provide advice to the person conducting or chairing a misconduct hearing in respect of any legal or procedural issues. This is a new statutory public appointment following the Home Secretary’s Police Officer Dismissals Review and subsequent amendments to the Police Conduct Regulations (2024). 

Applications are sought from qualified lawyers who can demonstrate integrity and independence of mind, commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, analysis, sound judgement and an objective approach to issues presented. Candidates who have current or previous experience of regulatory law are actively encouraged to apply. 

Those successful will form part a pool of appointees who will be selected to advise at police misconduct hearings across the three counties, with the opportunity to support panels across the wider South West. 

The voluntary role, which attracts an allowance and expenses, will run on a four-year initial term.  

A spokesperson for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly said: “With police standards under the national spotlight we welcome this move to ensure robustness in misconduct hearings, which strengthen the trust and confidence in the force not only in our communities but also among the policing family. 

“This rewarding role is an excellent opportunity to be involved in one of the most important responsibilities in policing. You can make a real difference in ensuring our police force, and that of our neighbours in Dorset, is held to the high standards rightly expected by the public.” 

Applications close at 4pm on Monday, May 13. For more information and details of how to apply visit the OPCC website.

Christmas shoppers in Exeter will be able to have their say on policing in Devon and Cornwall when the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s community engagement team visits Princesshay on Thursday (December 14).

The Commissioner, Alison Hernandez, is currently asking people who live in the force area to complete her Your Safety, Your Say survey as she makes decisions on the police budget for the next financial year.

The survey can be completed online or over the phone in around five minutes. Participants are asked to respond to questions about the amount they pay through their council tax for policing and what areas of policing they would like more investment in.

Anyone wanting to discuss the survey or policing in their area can speak to the OPCC team, and complete the survey, at Your Safety, Your Say roadshows this winter.

Commissioner Hernandez said: “Seeking views from members of the public is one of my core duties. In recent years the public’s views have helped set my policing priorities of tackling antisocial behaviour, drugs, dangerous driving and violent crime, as well as letting me know there is huge support for our policy of reopening police stations.

“I want people of all ages and backgrounds to help me again by taking a few minutes to take part in this survey.”

The roadshow has already visited Torquay and Exeter University. It is due to be at the following locations in the next fortnight:

Any changes to the above timings and locations will be communicated via Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner social media accounts.

To complete the survey online visit bit.ly/3uezOcV. To complete the survey by phone call 01392 225555.

Students at Exeter University will have a chance to influence the future of policing in Devon and Cornwall tomorrow December 7).

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner is taking its 'Your Safety, Your Say' roadshow to the university's campus, where staff from the office will be explaining the budget process and asking those with an interest in community safety and policing to fill out a survey on policing priorities.

They will also be handing out information relating to services for victims of crime and able to answer questions about the work of Devon and Cornwall Police and partners.

The Commissioner's engagement van will be at the Great Hall Plaza in Stoker Road from 11am to 2pm.

Members of the public will have the chance to have their say on policing in Devon and Cornwall in Torquay tomorrow (Friday, November 24).

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall is taking its community engagement van to the Union Street between 10am and 3pm.

Staff will be able to answer questions about the Your Safety, Your Say survey into policing priorities, as well as listen to residents about their concerns and suggestions.

Further community engagement events are scheduled to take place across Devon and Cornwall ahead of planning for the Devon and Cornwall Police budget in the New Year.

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall is asking residents of the force to take five minutes to influence the future of policing in the two counties.

Alison Hernandez today launches her annual survey into policing priorities as she plans the budget for the 2024-25 financial year.

The survey Your Safety, Your Say survey asks questions about the concerns people have in their communities, and whether they support plans to reopen more police enquiry offices and more robust action to tackle drugs.

Opinions are also sought on the level of the precept – the amount levied through council tax bills to locally fund policing – which the Commissioner will set in the new year.

For the first time the Commissioner poses a question about the use of artificial intelligence such as facial recognition cameras, and how supportive people are of using this technology to catch dangerous offenders.

She said: “Seeking views from members of the public is one of my core duties. In recent years the public’s views have helped set my policing priorities of tackling antisocial behaviour, drugs, dangerous driving and violent crime, as well as letting me know there is huge support for our policy of reopening police stations.

“I want people of all ages and backgrounds to help me again by taking a few minutes to take part in this survey.”

The survey can be completed online via the website of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, in person at engagement events, or over the phone by calling 01392 225555.

The Commissioner’s Community Engagement team will be present to explain the survey and how to take part between 10am and 3pm on Friday, October 24, in Union Street, Torquay.