Topics including residential burglary, shoplifting, policing visibility and response times were on the agenda when Hertfordshire’s newly elected Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) met the county’s chief constable.
Jonathan Ash-Edwards and Charlie Hall discussed the current policing priorities and plans to make the county safer when they met at Hertfordshire Constabulary HQ at Stanborough on Monday morning.
Mr Ash-Edwards focused on those issues which had been raised with him by the public during the PCC election earlier this month.
They also discussed how technology could be used to cut the amount of time officers spend on paperwork so they can spend more time on patrol. Vetting of officers and staff and professional standards was also on the agenda.
Mr Ash-Edwards said: “I had a positive first meeting with the chief constable and I look forward to developing a good working relationship with him.
“One of my main roles as PCC is to hold the chief constable to account for the service delivered to Hertfordshire residents and to be the public’s voice in local policing. It was important to start addressing the issues which people have been raising with me on the doorstep.
“Hertfordshire is one of the safest places in the country, but there is more that we can do. I will always champion the need for Hertfordshire to have effective and efficient policing that tackles crime and supports victims”.
Mr Hall said: “Alongside everyone in the constabulary, I share his vision of maintaining Hertfordshire as one of the safest counties in the country, reducing crime further and improving the services we provide to the public – especially victims of crime.”