30 January 2012
Kent Police Authority has responded to the Home Secretary’s speech today on anti-social behaviour and the call for forces to respond to resident complaints.
The Home Secretary, Theresa May, spoke of her desire to see forces ‘quickly identify the vulnerable and those who reported incidents repeatedly, and to prioritise their cases.’
As well as launching a ‘community trigger’ to give victims and communities the right to demand that agencies who had ignored a problem take action. This will be piloted in the summer with a number of local authorities.
Kent Police Authority and the Force launched a new way of responding to calls about anti-social behaviour last year to help protect the most vulnerable people in the community.
Police are already identifying individuals and communities most at risk of harm, making sure they receive a priority response and ensuring they do not become long-term victims of threats, bullying and abuse.
An officer is sent to the caller identified as vulnerable or a repeat victim. As part of this visit, a risk assessment is made to assist in further support to the victim.
The new way of working draws on the lessons learned from high-profile national cases such as Fiona Pilkington, who killed herself and her 18-year-old disabled daughter, Francesca Hardwick, in October 2007 after 10 years of harassment from local youths.
Each year the force receives around 75,000 calls in relation to anti-social behaviour. All calls will be reviewed by neighbourhood policing teams and victims kept informed of any police action.
Kent Police Authority – the police watchdog – set the force a target to increase the number of people satisfied with the service provided in cases of anti-social behaviour. Currently eight out of 10 people are happy with the service.
Ann Barnes, Chair of Kent Police Authority, said: ‘We’re already ahead of the game here in Kent but I will be interested to see what the national trial has identified as good practice. Dealing with anti-social behaviour remains a top priority for Kent and we now have more neighbourhood officers in communities. I’m confident that our new approach to dealing with anti-social behaviour will mean the taxpayers of the county will receive a better policing service.’