Tax rise funding serious crime disruption and domestic abuse support

Extra cash for Suffolk’s police force funded from the council tax rise this year is being spent on frontline rural policing, serious crime disruption and support for domestic abuse victims among its key priorities.

Suffolk police and crime commissioner Tim Passmore raised the policing precept of the council tax bill from April by nearly £10 on last year, to help adequately fund the police force.

In a report published for last week’s Police and Crime Panel meeting, Mr Passmore outlined exactly where the extra cash is going.

Among the chief projects are £549,000 to create an additional serious crime disruption team working on county lines and other organised crime avenues, £58,000 to bolster the rural crime team and £301,000 to increase neighbourhood policing teams with a focus on missing or vulnerable people.

Overall, the precept rise is providing around 20 new officers.

Mr Passmore said the investment was in both people and new kit such as drone technology and vehicles for frontline officers.

“It is absolutely right because the visibility and capability with vehicles, drones and the kit to go with it is absolutely fundamental,” he said.

“Rural communities are more vulnerable because of their remoteness and there we have got to be able to respond.

“We are all in it together and this is another powerful resource we can deploy and it gives us better coverage over the whole county, which is important.”

Other additions funded from the precept include four additional investigators using the automatic numberplate recognition cameras to free up officers, £116,000 for specialist constables tackling dangerous driving and £151,000 for more staff working with convicted offenders to identify other crimes committed.

Elsewhere a neighbourhood crime proactive team is being formed to tackle violent crimes, robberies and burglaries, while a new domestic abuse perpetrator scheme working one-to-one with domestic abuse offenders is also launching this month.

Chief Constable Steve Jupp in the report said: “I fully appreciate and recognise that council taxpayers would like to know exactly where the extra money provided is being spent and to be reassured that it is being used effectively.

“Your money is being spent wisely with plans continually becoming a reality as we promised.

“The Constabulary has responded promptly despite the very challenging environment that we are all working in with some plans already having been completed and making a difference to help keep the public safe.”

The breakdown:

– £181,000 – Four police staff investigators for automatic numberplate recognition work

– £549,000 – Creating serious crime disruption team tackling county lines and organised crime

– £58,000 – Extra constable for rural crime team

– £116,000 – Two specialist officers for dangerous vehicle or driver offences

– £151,000 – Three new staff members working with convicted offenders identifying other crimes committed

– £301,000 – Seven staff members working to support vulnerable and missing people

– £93,000 – New domestic abuse perpetrator scheme working with offenders

– £413,000 – Creating a neighbourhood crime proactive team for robberies, burglaries, violent crime and drugs offences among others