Commissioner launches new Police and Crime Plan for Gwent
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent, Jeff Cuthbert, has published his new Police and Crime Plan.
The plan sets out his vision and priorities for policing in Gwent for the next four years. There are five new policing priorities, which were chosen to meet the needs of communities and ensure that Gwent Police are best placed to provide an effective police service.
The police and crime priorities for Gwent until 2025 are:
- Keep Neighbourhoods Safe
- Combat Serious Crime
- Support Victims and Protect the Vulnerable
- Increase Community Confidence in Policing
- Drive Sustainable Policing
Mr Cuthbert said: “My new plan will build on the strong foundations already established and consolidate the successes achieved alongside Gwent Police and partners. The impact of COVID-19 on society is expected to be generational and policing was already stretched prior to the pandemic. I will continue to make sure that Gwent Police is equipped to respond to the challenges of both today and tomorrow.
“My plan demonstrates the wide range of issues and challenges that we must tackle if we are to be successful in making Gwent a safer place. Both the Chief Constable and I are committed to the safety and well-being of the communities and residents of Gwent.
“Providing a sustainable and effective policing service that is fit for the 21st Century requires investment and planning. I am very proud that there are almost 200 additional police officer posts created since I first became Commissioner in 2016. This investment helps to protect and reassure our residents on a daily basis.”
Tackling offending, supporting victims and increasing community confidence in policing are all central to my plan. Additionally, Gwent Police will have to drive forward sustainable policing practices to ensure a more efficient, environmentally- friendly 21st Century police service.
The new Police and Crime Plan was developed following extensive public engagement, with 3,000 people having their say on policing priorities in Gwent.
Mr Cuthbert said: “Throughout the summer, we spoke with thousands of Gwent residents about their experiences of policing in Gwent and what they would like to see the police focus their attentions on. By gathering these views, I gained further understanding of what matters to the people of Gwent and our partners in policing. This gives me great confidence that my plan will address the matters most important to the people of Gwent.
“Thankfully, Gwent is a safe place to live and work, which is consistently reflected in the official crime statistics from Office of National Statistics. I will continue to build on the strong foundations already established and consolidate the successes achieved alongside Gwent Police and partners. Gwent is one of the safest places in the United Kingdom and I am steadfast in my commitment to ensuring this remains the case.”
The new Police and Crime Plan is underpinned by a performance framework to ensure that it supports the monitoring and evaluation of the progress made by Gwent Police, funded programmes and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent.
The Chief Constable will provide a detailed annual delivery plan of the activities proposed to achieve my plan outcomes from a policing perspective.
Chief Constable Pam Kelly said: “The new Police and Crime Plan sets out a clear vision for policing in Gwent.
“Policing relies on good relationships to succeed. These include partnerships with the Police and Crime Commissioner, local authorities, local health boards and other partners, but of course it relies on strong partnerships with our very own communities,
I look forward to building upon the great relationships that we currently have and in so doing utilise the plan to continue to build the safest communities possible for today and for the future."