Force Supports Neighbourhood Policing Week

Living Magazines PCC David Lloyd with police officers

The spotlight will be on the force’s Safer Neighbourhood Teams from Monday 23 January for the second national Neighbourhood Policing Week of Action.

Policing operations have been planned throughout the week, and the teams will be taking to the force’s local social media accounts to highlight the work they do to help keep communities safe. You can follow the week using the hashtag #NeighbourhoodPolicingWeek.

Hertfordshire has 33 policing ‘neighbourhoods’ covering the whole county. Each area has a dedicated and locally-based neighbourhood policing team which is led by a sergeant and is made up of PCs and PCSOs. They are a specialist team who take a prevention first approach to tackle many of the issues that affect communities most, such as local crime and anti-social behaviour problems.

They regularly consult the public to identify the issues that are of most concern and work to resolve them. They often work with councils, housing providers and other local partners to look at the underlying causes to develop long-term solutions to problems.

Superintendent Ken Townsend, Safer Neighbourhood lead for the force, said: ‘For many people in Hertfordshire, our neighbourhood teams are the face of policing. They are the officers often seen out on foot or cycle patrols, or running community engagement events in town and shopping centres. They are approachable and happy to speak to residents who would like to discuss a local crime or anti-social behaviour issue.  You can also arrange to meet them by contacting us via our website or calling 101.’

He added: ‘There are many other ways you can stay in touch with them however. You can follow them on our local social media accounts, you can receive local crime alerts from them by signing up to our OWL messaging system, or you can tell them what local issues matter to you most my using our ‘echo’ feedback system.’

David Lloyd, Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire said: ‘Neighbourhood policing is a key part of my commitment to local policing in Hertfordshire with teams based in the communities they serve. I recognised that the public want to see dedicated officers and PCSOs on patrol in their communities, and this has been achieved. Alongside the Chief Constable I have ensured that a local policing model has been maintained, with at least one station in each district or borough.’

You can follow the activities of your local Safer Neighbourhood Teams by following the social media account for Dacorum at:

More than 170,000 households in Hertfordshire are also receiving free local crime and community safety-related messages from their Safer Neighbourhood Team via OWL (Online Watch Link) messaging system. Go to www.owl.co.uk/herts to sign up.