Agenda item

To consider the attached report.

The Select Committee received a report from the Director of Communities regarding the attendance of the Essex Police District Commander, who would be attending the Communities Select Committee meeting on 13 November 2018, to give a presentation on the current policing issues and concerns relating to the Epping Forest District.

The Director asked the Select Committee if they had any issues that they would like the District Commander to cover in his presentation and if there were any areas of local policing on which Members would like to question the District Commander on, so that he could be notified in advance of the meeting.

The Select Committee agreed the following issues that they would like the District Commander to either cover in his presentation or answer through questions:

• The Police’s approach to dealing with offenders and suspects with mental health problems – this was suggested to be one of the main issues that Members would like the District Commander to cover in the presentation:
  • The pathways used by the Police to help and deal with such people.

• Current retention and recruitment issues for front line police officers:
  • Current numbers of police officers covering the Epping Forest District and the recent and forecast trend.

• An assessment of anti-social behaviour in the District, particularly over the Summer (compared to last summer):
  • The Police’s general approach to dealing with anti-social behaviour; and
  • Your plans for preparing for Halloween this year.

• Current service levels and response times for handling 101 and 999 calls.

• Average response times to emergency calls (from receipt to attendance).

• Current crime clear up / detection rates and recent trends:
  • Proposed strategies for improving detection rates.

• The Police’s response to the recent increase in burglaries in the District.

•  How the Police work pro-actively with young people, particularly for the prevention of ASB and the outcomes from any associated initiatives:
  • The scope for more pro-active work to be done in local schools to prevent crime.

• How often, if at all, the 3 EFDC-funded Police Officers have been called to incidents outside of the District “to date”:
  • A general view on the success or otherwise to date of the 3 EFDC-funded Police Officers.

• How local town and parish councils can fund PCSOs or Special Constables for their areas and, if funded, how they are tasked and the involvement of the local councils in tasking:
  • The cost of funding PCSOs or Special Constables by town and parish councils.

·        What was going to be done to tackle crime rates across the district specifically in relation to the recent thefts and intimidation of young people, over the summer period in Loughton and Buckhurst Hill.

The Chairman of the Select Committee, Cllr Holly Whitbread, extended an invitation to all Members of the Council who have an interest in policing in the District to attend the Select Committee meeting.

      RESOLVED:

That the questions and areas of concern highlighted in the minute item above be submitted to the Essex Police District Commander for his attendance at the Select Committee meeting on 13 November 2018.