As the darker evenings set in, we come to the end of our annual public engagement programme which included the recent session held at the Mildenhall Hub and an online-session last Monday which posed lots of interesting questions and comments. It was heartening to hear a very positive remark from one resident highlighting the improvement in visible policing in Newmarket.
Engaging with communities is a key part of my role and I have spoken to several organisations right across the western half of Suffolk recently. Earlier in October I had very fruitful discussions with the Business Improvement District team from Love Newmarket, addressed the regional meeting of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation at Great Whelnetham and had an annual catch up with the domestic abuse charity Compassion in Sudbury.
These meetings cover many of the facets of work I carry out in my role as Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, they give me a golden opportunity to hear and listen to what these organisations have to say on behalf of their membership. When appropriate I can also discuss individual matters and difficulties at first hand and see what can be done to resolve matters.
As we are now approaching budget setting time for the next financial year, community feedback helps me consider allocations and choices to be made regarding expenditure. Let me give some examples and bear in mind that in some situations the Constabulary budget makes contributions but is often not the only organisation involved.
Many of you will know that a few years ago Suffolk faced a really serious threat from organised crime groups involved in gangs and county lines activity. This was tackled through a multi-agency approach and funding was accessed following our representations to the pooled business rates fund – we successfully bid for £500,000 over three years which has now been repeated twice more. Seven years ago there were around 30 active and known ‘lines’ in the county with an increasing level of threat in west Suffolk. This has now been greatly reduced, although not entirely eliminated. There remains much more to do to rid the county of this despicable criminality.
A major priority of mine has been to support victims of domestic abuse, and reduce the prevalence of this terrible crime in urban and rural areas alike. I was particularly impressed with the approach now being taken by Compassion where the charity is expanding its range of services including helping victims in Haverhill which as most of you know is now Suffolk’s fourth largest town. The commitment is further enhanced by co-operating and collaborating with other organisations in the county such as Suffolk Family Carers and Restore (formerly Bury Women’s Aid). Initiatives including the ‘Who’s in Charge‘ and ‘Escape the Trap’ programmes are having a very positive impact and yet it is so sad to learn that demand is increasing by around fifteen per cent per year.
Another common concern that has been highlighted to me recently is the increase in levels of recorded retail crime. The national increase averages twenty per cent during the previous twelve months and Suffolk’s respective increase was half that rate, nevertheless this is a major concern. There is no excuse for shoplifting – actually it is blatant theft, for me it underlines a malaise in society that for some people it does not matter. They are wrong – we all end up paying for these crimes and it is especially damaging for small businesses and the self-employed. If we wish to help our town centres thrive then much more needs to be done to bring offenders to justice, and this needs to be coupled with suitably tough sentences. Prevention is better than cure and this is where I believe the recruitment of the additional 202 police officers under the previous government, supplemented by the 17 officers and nine police staff during the current financial year will make a significant difference. An increased police presence plus a greater emphasis on crime prevention is crucial.
The perennial matter of speeding enforcement is aired at nearly every public meeting. This is an important matter and whilst we need to work with all road users and not alienate them, please remember speed limits are there for a reason and that is road safety and keeping the traffic flowing. The enforcement teams have benefitted from increased capacity over the years and that alongside other road safety initiatives will continue as long as I am Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner. This becomes more important as the population expands and the government continues to neglect our county when it comes to financing road and rail infrastructure improvements.
Overall a particularly informative and useful series of engagements and thanks to all who took part – it does make a difference.
Published in Bury Free Press in November 2025