Stage Two of Bedfordshire’s police and crime commissioner’s (PCC) Police and Crime Plan puts “social justice” and “human rights” at the centre of policing.
The PCC said this is about providing “an effective and good police service” for the county’s communities and cultures.
“Whoever you are, whatever you live, you are entitled to an effective and good police service,” PCC John Tizard (Labour) said.
“So it’s allocating police resources equitably and in-line with demand.
“It also means being aware of different communities, different cultures in the way we police – not have a two-tier policing.
“Everyone must be treated in the same way,” he said.
Stage One of the PCC’s Police and Crime Plan was launched in October 2024, which was a combination of some objectives and “establishing the foundation” for the longer term.
The PCC said: “I recognise it’s four year term, but I need to be equipped in terms of having the right support, the right data and the right policies to actually take the plan forward.
“There’s a lot we’ve done in part one that’s actually [still] in place.
“We’ve got a domestic abuse advisor in the control room, that was firmly in part one.
“We’ve improved the level of response to 999 calls, that was in part one.
“But we need to go a lot further,” he said.
AI analysis of commissioner Tizard’s new plan and that of his predecessor shows that the overall tone of the new plan is “system-wide change, early intervention”, while the former plan focussed on “tough on crime and visibility”.
The PCC was asked if four-year terms benefit Bedfordshire’s residents as if he’s not re-elected in 2028 his replacement might change everything again.
“I don’t think I have changed everything, I have made some changes, I may use different language,” commissioner Tizard said.
“But ultimately, a police and crime commissioner, whoever he or she is, whatever party he or she comes from, has the objective of making the county safer and building confidence in policing.
“In any democratic system you have to have accountability back to the electorate
“I think [four years] is long enough,” he said.
The PCC said he has set out an “ambitious plan”.
“I think to achieve it is going to require quite bold action by me, by the police, and by our partners.
“A lot of my emphasis is now going to be on getting that system-wide change and really bringing partners together to collaborate.
“Because that’s how we’re going to get long-term sustainable change.
“This plan will have clear targets, measurable targets, being underpinned by a budget.
“And I’ll be reporting publicly and through the police and crime panel on progress against those targets and that plan,” he said.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
