Safety Through Strength Annual Report 2024-25 - Page 12

This includes a monthly ‘Call the Commissioner’ segment on BBC Radio Lancashire, where I respond to public inquiries, as well as attending community meetings, patrolling with officers and MPs, and participating in community events such as Pride.

Effective engagement and communication are essential to ensuring that the public and stakeholders have a meaningful voice in how their communities are policed. It also helps them understand the complexities and challenges of modern policing.

• Responded to 1,153 pieces of correspondence from the public, 95% of which was actioned within two weeks.
• Attended 418 external meetings, including 68 public engagements
• 60 press releases issued about the work of my Office.
• Provided comments in 35 Constabulary press releases.
• Responded to 34 media enquiries.
• Received 300+ pieces of printed media coverage and 1,300+ pieces of online coverage.
• Produced 26 videos published on National World news website.
• 65,525 website views.

Social Media

Stakeholders

Monthly newsletters were sent to more than 800 MPs, Councillors and stakeholders, updating them on the work of my Office and delivery against my Police and Crime Plan.

Monthly updates were also distributed to relevant MPs, Councillors, and stakeholders, showcasing the achievements of Operation Centurion in tackling ASB across various wards of Lancashire which benefited from additional foot patrols.

Consultations

In July 2024, I launched my Police and Crime Plan Survey to gather residents’ opinions before setting the priorities for my Police and Crime Plan. A record number of 6,156 residents provided feedback, with over 85% agreeing with the proposed priorities.

In December 2024, 2,652 people participated in my budget survey, with 68% supporting the idea of paying more to sustain growth and investment in policing and to achieve the priorities in Lancashire. Subsequently, information about how Lancashire’s policing budget is allocated was distributed to 515,000 households across all 14 districts of Lancashire.

Events

I was pleased to attend the launch of the new Operation Lund exhibit at the Lancashire Police Museum in July, which highlights events that took place on February 5, 2004, when 23 Chinese migrants trafficked into the area by Liverpool gangmasters were drowned by an incoming tide at Morecambe Bay while harvesting cockles. The exhibit remembers the victims and highlights the work of Operation Lund to secure justice for those who lost their lives that day.

In August, my Office convened a roundtable with representative from Lancashire’s Chambers of Commerce to commence vital discussions about the impact of crime on businesses across the region. I also attended an event with business leaders in Lancaster and supported Safer Business Action Week, all fantastic opportunities to discuss issues affecting local businesses from shoplifting to cyber resilience.

Over the summer, I attended Pride events in Blackpool, Lancaster and Morecambe where I joined the parade and spoke about the importance of inclusion and diversity on stage. My Office sponsored the event under the Lancashire Victim Services brand to raise awareness of the support available to victims of crime, including hate crime.