Devon, Cornwall and Isle of Scilly Police and Crime Commissioner, Alison Hernandez has launched a questionnaire to understand peoples views on additional police officers.
In Devon, Cornwall and Isle of Scilly we spend less than £3.20, that is less than the cost of a large pasty, on policing per household per week.
Given the area and the types of crime the police have to handle on a daily basis, this is a small amount amount and is considerably less than other areas of the country.
The Police and Crime Commissioner is looking for peoples opinion on increasing Council Tax by around 41p a week. This small increase is a small price to pay given the benefits that it would mean for the community:
- A new officer would be added to each of the 27 sectors that make up Devon and Cornwall to improve the links between the police and the public
- More detectives will be able to bring more criminals to justice
- More response officers so the police can get to more incidents, more often and in better time
- Maintaining the investment in policing the many roads that make up Devon and Cornwall.
If such a rise were to go ahead it would mean that the total number of police officers in Devon and Cornwall will be up to 3,100, the highest they have been since 2012.
Without this rise, it is thought that recruitment of new officers would have to stop and even further cuts to front line officers, something which the Police and Crime Commissioner wants to avoid.
So whilst you’re on your lunch break take 5 minutes to fill out the short online form here. Alternatively you can contact the Devon and Cornwall Police Commissioner on 01392 225555 and a paper survey will be sent to you.
The survey closes on the 6th February 2019.
