Police aim to improve people's quality of life

Last week I was perturbed to read articles in two different newspapers which struck me as misconceived in their perception of how the police operate in today's liberal and democratic society.

In the first, a national daily paper, a former prison doctor expounded his views on a police service he saw as defeated, demoralised and unable to deal with even the most basic expectations of the community. The second, and even more perplexing came in The Evening Press, in which the columnist rounded on the police and urged an improvement in our performance.

As the man in charge of policing York Division, I am duty bound to respond. I am not known for complacency. I listen to and respond to criticism when it is justified. But to accept these portrayals of the police as true reflections of the service in North Yorkshire would be a betrayal of the dedicated, hardworking men and women who make up this force.

'Well, he would say that, wouldn't he?' you may be thinking. The answer to that is No, I wouldn't say that not unless I believed it to be true, and that belief was supported by fact.

There is a view that perception is reality. Sadly, it is true that if a distorted picture is repeated often enough, the public will absorb that perception. The distorted image becomes fact in people's minds.

Please excuse me if I sound offended by the recent column inches devoted to bobby-bashing. I am offended! Policing is something I feel passionate about. It is a passion shared by many of my colleagues. This article will, I hope, set the record straight about law enforcement in North Yorkshire, and the very positive work on crime and community issues especially in York.

The new, dynamic and far-reaching partnership between the City Council, North Yorkshire Police and other agencies is to be launched on July 24, 1998. It's overriding aim is to make York a safer city, if not the safest city in the United Kingdom. An ambitious project you might think. My answer to that is an unashamed yes. In North Yorkshire Police we set ourselves tough targets, with every intention of achieving them.

Last year crime fell across the county by five per cent. This was in addition to the 14 per cent drop in crime the previous year. A 19 per cent drop over two years does not happen by accident. It is brought about by detailed strategic planning, scrupulous intelligence gathering, the targeting of active criminals and positive input by police officers at every level.

What we achieve in North Yorkshire we achieve with the help of the community. Community policing is at the heart of our operations.

The concentration of resources on specific groups of people or neighbourhoods, or "hot spots" of crime, is an all-encompassing crime control and reduction plan. These partnerships will become the golden thread of community-orientated action throughout York.

However, these plans mean nothing unless accompanied by positive enforcement. In York we combine community-based policing with positive enforcement. I believe this provides a balanced and comprehensive approach to crime throughout the division.

Needless to say, for positive action to succeed it must be delivered by positive police officers. So, what is a positive police officer?

Perhaps I should start by describing what positive police officers are not. These officers are now power-hungry or quick-tempered.

Neither do they use their uniform to flaunt their authority or as a shield to justify unacceptable behaviour. It would be nave for me to suggest that such people do not exist within the police service. But let me make it clear to you they are not welcome in North Yorkshire.

Positive police officers are compassionate people who care about the community they work with. They are respectful, even to law breakers. They understand 'stop, search and seizure' case law and the concept of reasonable suspicion, and powers of arrest. They are well versed in interview and interrogation techniques and can recognise in an instant someone under the influence of drugs. Most importantly, they enjoy their work and demonstrate a strong desire to get criminals off the street.

Since January this year we have arrested 3,703 people for a variety of offences and unlawful behaviour.

Positive police officers are curious, even suspicious but remain keenly sensitive to even the most subtle detail of every situation they confront. They develop intuition, or a sixth sense, that other officers recognise and appreciate. They do their jobs, whatever the incident, without violating anyone's civil rights. In York last year we dealt with 87,000 incidents. They always work within the parameters of the law. Above all, they demonstrate the utmost respect for our community.

Let me give you just one example from a bulging file of 'thank you' letters. You will understand from this letter much of what I have been talking about.

"I would like to congratulate all the five officers involved in the arrest of the man who entered my premises at 0430 today: the WPC who answered my call promptly and efficiently and gave me what I now realise was sensible advice....

"I realise they worked as a unit, but I must single out for special praise the officer who investigated the fairly dense shrubbery and located the intruder. I now realise (as he must have done) that the man might easily have had a Stanley knife or a lethal weapon. He summoned his colleagues at once but the fact remains that he faced great danger alone for long enough to be maimed or killed.

"The arrest was quick, firm and fair...No undue force was used, but the intruder was secured. It was all over within ten minutes."

If you tell me that the people of this county are disillusioned with their police force. If you tell me now that officers are defeated and demoralised and unable to deal with basic expectations. Tell me any of those things, and I will tell you that you are wrong.

Positive police officers are a blessing to law-abiding citizens. They protect the most vulnerable and victimised, whatever their race, creed, colour, religion. They change the perception that crime, and the fear of crime, is something that people can do nothing about.

It has often been said that the police constable and the chief constable are the two most critical positions in the police service. It is those at the top and on the front line who ultimately determine the quality of the service out on the streets.

A positive police officer is one who leads and motivates, and is committed not only to doing the right thing, but to doing things right. This sort of officer is a community's best friend. North Yorkshire has many such friends.

Likewise, successful law enforcement requires leaders who are not afraid to empower, as well as train, their supervisors and officers. A good leader insists on strong supervision and positive commitment, and does not tolerate unprofessional conduct. This is what citizens demand and deserve from police professionals. Our new chief constable, David Kenworthy expects nothing less.

Now, more than ever before, as the two newspaper articles indicate, citizens are demanding the most from the police service. People really do want to take the bars off their windows and doors and still feel safe in their communities.

They want police officers on the street who are strong on law enforcement, whilst being compassionate, caring, courteous and friendly. They want strong community spirit and bold leaders to direct the thin blue line that separates the law-abiding from the criminal and yobbish elements of society.

North Yorkshire Police has recognised for a long time the value in harnessing the community's intolerance of crime and anti-social disorder. The City's Safer York Strategy will go a long way to achieving those aims.

The community, in turn, must understand there will never again be a police officer on each street corner. The art of policing has changed a great deal over the last few decades, especially with regard to technology and deployment strategies. However, the best chance of success against the criminal is through an integrated approach which combines positive enforcement and community policing with political will and sound common sense.

Statistically, the police in York, and in North Yorkshire as a whole, are doing very well against the criminal. Our results are around the best in the country. It is essential that our citizens know that. Articles which imply the opposite do a grave disservice to the people of North Yorkshire. Ill-informed opinion increases fear of crime and spoils the quality of life for law-abiding people.

Concluding his column, your journalist described York as 'a happy hunting ground for the criminal.' Yes, it is a hunting ground but it is positive police officers, standing four-square with active citizens, who are doing the hunting!

North Yorkshire is an area of outstanding natural duty and we are "Proud to be York."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.