Nottinghamshire’s new Police and Crime Commissioner says he plans a “significant move” towards neighbourhood policing during his term of office.
Former police officer Gary Godden is responsible for holding Nottinghamshire Police to account after being elected to the post last month.
He faced the councillors who will ensure he is doing his job for the first time during a meeting of the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Panel on Monday (June 17).
“There will be a significant move towards neighbourhood policing in Nottinghamshire,” he told the panel.
“My experience is that it works. Our police officers need to be back in our communities.”
He later added: “Part of this is properly using community resources, and local knowledge for local problems.
“Prevention first thing we try to do, and that will hopefully cut down need for police officers.”
He also acknowledged the need to improve trust in police forces, saying: “Confidence in police has been hit by various stories in the media recently. I’m passionate about building trust in Nottinghamshire Police.
“I’m highly committed to being extremely accessible to public who elected me and listening to their frustration. The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner is open and ready for business.”
Mr Goddard served as a police officer for 15 years, often based in St Anns, Radford and Sneinton, and was part of the Vanguard Plus team tackling guns, gangs, knife and crime.
Linda Woodings said the demand for neighbourhood policing “is the big feedback we’re getting from residents”.
She raised concerns about some officers being redeployed from Operation Reacher, Nottinghamshire Police’s project to disrupt crime in neighbourhoods.
“In my ward, it has had a massive material difference to street drug dealing, and I’m sad to see it go,” she said.
Mr Goddard has said that his other priorities tackling knife crime, anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls, reducing car fatalities and making Nottinghamshire’s roads safer.
He will produce a Police and Crime Plan for the next four years, setting out Nottinghamshire Police’s funding, resources and priorities.
Opportunities for the public to share their priorities online or in person will run between Monday, June 17 and Friday, August 16.
Nottinghamshire Police was placed in special measures by a watchdog in March over concerns on how it runs investigations and handles victims.
