Chief Constable Rachel Kearton monthly column - May 2024

Firstly, I would just like to congratulate Tim Passmore on being re-elected for his fourth term as Police & Crime Commissioner earlier this month.  I look forward to continuing to build on our successes with renewed energy and the shared desire in keeping Suffolk safe.

Although I’m not a football fan, I must also congratulate Ipswich Town Football Club on being promoted to the Premier League – what a fantastic achievement – double promotion in two seasons.  I would like to thank all fans who made it such a memorable Bank Holiday weekend in Ipswich. It was wonderful to see so many people of all ages out celebrating together and there was a fantastic community spirit in the town. Special thanks to those that came to say hello to my officers and took photos. There were so many flags and scarves, some even made their way onto our officers... and our cars!  So my congratulations and thanks to all concerned.

I wanted to take the opportunity this month to update you on a significant milestone as part of our work under the Police Race Action Plan. The Race Action Plan was introduced nationally to bring about changes needed in policing to improve outcomes for black people who work within or interact with policing.  The plan was developed jointly by the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), and will work in collaboration with black communities and partners, including the National Black Police Association (NBPA), the Independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board (ISOB) and the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners  (APCC). The plan also has the commitment of all 44 Chief Constables in England and Wales.

The Race Action Plan aims to address the disparities affecting black people and lower levels of trust and confidence in the police among some black people.

The four national workstreams in the plan are:

• Representation (internal culture and inclusivity)
• Not over-policed (use of powers)
• Involved (community engagement and relations)
• Not under-protected against victimisation

The national plan has been adapted by us to make it relatable to Suffolk, recognising that we must reflect on the service we deliver at a local level, and work hard with our stakeholders and communities to make sustainable changes.  A fundamental part of recognising and evaluating the need for change comes from external scrutiny. There is real value in having people living and working in our communities holding the constabulary to account as well as providing a voice to those that may otherwise feel unable to communicate with us.   

I know that we do not have all the answers needed to stimulate change, and it is important that we continue to evolve our culture through a process of learning, but doing so through the eyes of others.  I am therefore pleased to announce the formation of an independent Advisory and Scrutiny Panel that will work closely with the constabulary linked in at executive level. Deputy Chief Constable Rob Jones, who is the Suffolk lead for the Race Action Plan, has overseen the development and recruitment of the panel and will be responsible for interpreting their views in the implementation of change.

Angelina Quamina MBE has been appointed as the Chairperson for the panel. She has been instrumental in overseeing the recruitment of the four additional members, who together bring with them a raft of lived experiences, community contacts and enthusiasm to influence change.

The panel met for the first time in April and have been given access to all departments within Suffolk police. They are also directly supported by the Suffolk Ethnic Police Association (SEPA), Suffolk Police Federation, UNISON and the Police and Crime Commissioner.  Through our relationship with the Ipswich & Suffolk Council for Racial Equality (ISCRE), we have a strong history in listening to our communities, particularly around stop search powers, and I look forward to working with Angelina and the panel in driving the change needed to build trust in our communities.

Finally, I am pleased to confirm that Suffolk is in the top four counties in England and Wales where people are least likely to be victims of crime, according to figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) recently.  The total recorded crime covering the 12 months to the end of December 2023 show that there was a decrease of 11% in crime compared to the previous 12 months. 

From residential burglary, public order, robbery, theft from person, stalking and harassment, vehicle crime, sexual offences, knife crime and drug offences all saw drops in recorded crimes, compared to the previous 12-month period.  Based on the ONS figures, Suffolk Constabulary is ranked fourth for the lowest levels of recorded crime in the country. 

Whilst these figures are very encouraging, demonstrating further positive progress and reflect all the hard work that takes place across the force, I am always very mindful that every crime that is committed has a victim involved and I extend my sympathy if this is the case for you.  The victim is at the heart of everything we do. This means putting them first with high quality investigations to catch the perpetrator and being determined to bring offenders to justice. This is especially the case with those who are the most prolific and high risk, whilst maximising opportunities to reduce re-offending and promote rehabilitation.  These figures do demonstrate how we are refusing to rest on our laurels but continue to improve, to work hard to keep the people of Suffolk safe and to solve crime and catch criminals.