METROLAND Spring 2022

Introducing Chiltern & South
Bucks Policing Issues Forum
Which of us doesn’t complain from time to time
about crime levels and the state of policing?
Perhaps we bemoan the perceived lack of visibility
of officers on the street. Maybe we grumble
about bad behaviour and ‘low-level’ crime without
reporting it. Or engage in furious conversation
on social media, which may be a way of letting off
steam – or of stoking it up!
For many, frustration may be down partly to a
feeling of powerlessness. It’s common knowledge
that police funding was reduced and officer
numbers fell through the last decade. Central
Government funding has finally ticked up in the
past couple of years, but if one looks deeper, all the
growth in funding for Thames Valley Police (TVP) in
the past 10 years has come through Council Tax
contributions. And most of that is being spent on
national and Force wide priorities, rather than on
local police services.
But there is good news, too. Starting with the fact
that we are fortunate to live in an area of relatively
low crime (yes, really!).
We have a positive framework for local policing.
‘Strong Local Policing’ is one of the five core
elements of our Police and Crime Commissioner’s
Police and Criminal Justice Plan.
Our Neighbourhood Police has the support of many
other policing teams. And policing as a whole is part
of a yet bigger jigsaw, involving Buckinghamshire
Council and multiple agencies within the ‘Safer
Buckinghamshire Board’. The complex overall
jigsaw of policing and community services is not
easy to understand from the outside. Visible
policing is obviously important, but that is the tip
of an iceberg.
But the elephant in the room remains – resourcing
local policing and retaining the confidence of the
public within neighbourhoods. This works best
where there is a sense of partnership between
community and Police.
Within Chiltern and South Bucks, we are lucky
to have a model, unique within the TVP Force
area, to facilitate positive engagement between
residents and our Neighbourhood Policing teams.
The Chiltern and South Bucks Policing Issues
Forum is a volunteer-run platform, which welcomes
participation from all residents. A meeting every
four months brings together community and
Neighbourhood Police to discuss local concerns
and policing in a frank, open environment.
Residents’ concerns collected through an online
survey helps inform the setting of local policing
focus areas. These focus areas are then included
within officers’ workflow and reporting schedules,
so residents’ concerns ARE heard.
All residents can participate in the Forum, by
completing our surveys and attending meetings.
In addition to our normal business, we invite guest
speakers and subject experts. Simply coming along
to the meeting will enable residents to become
better informed about responses to local crime and
community concerns.
What else can residents do to contribute to the
resilience of our communities?
Simply reporting crime and bad behaviour is a start.
Venting your frustration on social media won’t do
it, as explained by Roy Evans, Sergeant of the
Chesham Neighbourhood team:
“Please do not think that a post concerning Anti-
Social Behaviour, speeding motorists, groups
congregating etc will get a police response.
For us to be able to do something, we need to
know about it. If you don’t tell us, don’t assume
someone else will. I would encourage the public
to report these issues at the time via telephone or
the online reporting system.”
24 METROLAND SPRING 2022