A chief constable who slashed crime by ordering officers to visit every single victim has been accused of wasting resources.
Roger Baker, the head of the Essex force, has been criticised in a watchdog’s report that claimed the hugely popular policy was not an efficient use of time. Since Mr Baker took charge three years ago there have been 13,000 fewer victims of crime in the county and residents are delighted with his back-to-basics tactics.
But a report by Her Majesty’s inspectorate of the Constabulary said: ‘While attending every crime is a highly effective method of engagement, it is felt by a number of staff interviewed that taking a statement at each crime is not always necessary and can be time-consuming.’
John Baron, Tory MP for Billericay, said: ‘What else are we paying for? We want reassurance from the police that they are dealing with criminals and doing their best to fight crime. ‘I hear too many complaints from constituents that they do not hear from police when reporting a crime.
‘What Roger Baker introduced was a breath of fresh air and for civil service bureaucrats to criticise it is very wrong.’
When Mr Baker joined the force in 2005 he brought in policies to increase frontline policing, make Officers a more visible presence and treat low-level crime such as vandalism more seriously. On his first day in the job, he demanded his officers make 600 extra arrests within a week.
He also told criminals: ‘If you are planning on committing a crime, bring a toothbrush because you will not be going home.’
Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve said of the inspectors’ criticism: ‘This is a damning indictment of the Government’s centralising, target-driven approach to policing.
It is essential that we have officers where the public want them – on the streets, fighting crime.’
The chief constable defended his tactics yesterday, saying: ‘We will continue with our policing style, which includes attending all crime, increasing police visibility, opening more police stations, tackling crime robustly and bringing offenders to justice.
Brian Butcher, of Victim Support, said: ‘We commend any attempt by police to improve the support to victims.
‘The one thing that victims want to know from police is that their crime is being treated seriously and that they are being kept updated so they feel engaged with the criminal justice system.’
Mr Baker has been a vocal critic of the lack of officers on the streets and the tendency for police to give victims crime numbers rather than going to see them.
He recently unveiled plans to put 600 extra officers on the streets over the next five years, including 100 more by next March.
‘However, we believe we are going in the right direction to make Essex the safest county in the country.
Filed under: Law & Order | Tagged: Crime, Government, Law & Order, MP, Police, Watchdog
