Police and Crime Commissioner’s new team will work with communities to improve services

Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner Keith Hunter has appointed an Engagement Team to work with communities to improve communication and give residents more power to influence decisions on policing and community safety.  

As part of the Commissioner’s statutory obligations, he is required to consult with the public and his engagement officers will do this on his behalf by working with Community Safety Partnerships, residents’ groups and attending local events throughout the region.

Keith Hunter said: “One of the key aims of my Police and Crime Plan is more effective communication and engagement with the public. My role covers not only oversight of Humberside Police, but also commissioning many other services to the region such as support for victims of crime, drug and alcohol intervention programmes and providing the four Community Safety Partnerships in the area with funding to assist local groups in crime prevention and safety initiatives.

“The large geographical size of the Humberside Police force area, covering four very different unitary authorities, each with individual community safety priorities and demographic make-ups, presents a serious challenge to ensure communities are effectively engaged with and cannot be achieved by me alone.

“When I was elected I took the decision not to appoint a Deputy as I felt the money could be better spent elsewhere, and this, together with other changes in my staff, have enabled me to appoint the Engagement Team without any extra cost being incurred. 

“The four Engagement Officers will establish closer links with community safety partners and groups in their area, improving our consultation with the public, finding out what really matters to people where they live and providing me with the information I need to plan policing priorities and make the decisions that will meet the needs of our communities.”

The Engagement Team consists of:

Matt Wright (Hull), Debbie Fagan (East Riding), Claire Welford (North Lincolnshire) and Katrina Goodhand (North East Lincolnshire)

Contact details for each officer can be found on the PCC Website at:  www.humberside-pcc.gov.uk/In-Your-Community/Community-Engagement-Team.aspx