This week saw the opening of a new Police Hub in Selsey. A modern bright facility with all mod cons, it is there to ensure witness statements can be taken and crimes reported in person, locally instead of requiring a trip to Chichester. Meeting our Police and Crime Commissioner, Chief Constable and a number of our local police it became clear to me how much the nature of crime is changing in this technologically advanced world we live in. One of the biggest enablers has been the introduction of mobile policing. This is effectively using a smartphone to do instant record checks and take statements online. This capability has had a huge impact on the efficiency of our police officers and has meant they can have the information they need at their fingertips to inform their decisions. There is also a lot of cross community working between our police, councils, hospitals, community groups and mental health professionals. They meet on a regular basis and discuss which public service is best placed to meet particular residents needs. This aims to save people being sent between services and sometimes not getting the help they need.
There has been a lot of discussion about police numbers and whether we have enough police on our streets. I discussed this with the Chief Constable, he said that we are still investing in local police however they don’t necessarily patrol areas as such but work as a network, constantly connected and focussed on where crime is being committed. This seems like a sensible approach when you consider the type of crimes they are tackling. Drug dealing is now a sophisticated operation using telephone lines to literally “dial a drug” which is then organised via a central control hub, often using minors to deliver the drugs. The police now have the power to monitor and close down these lines and detect those involved. It makes sense as criminals use technology to their advantage our police must be smarter about the way they operate. It is clear that the public want to see local police presence in their community hence the investment in the new police hub in Selsey which is co-located in the town hall.