§ 26. Mr. Forthasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take further steps to involve the public in a partnership with the police in the fight against crime.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggWe are developing a new national crime prevention campaign which will show some of the ways in which the community can contribute to the prevention of crime. The Home Office has set aside £3.4 million for this campaign during 1987–88 with provision to sustain the campaign over the next two years. With the campaign we shall be publishing a handbook describing a wide range of crime prevention projects in which all sections of the community can participate.
§ 36. Mr. Colin Shepherdasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans for an initiative to improve the present relationship between public and police.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggWe believe that relations between the police and most members of the public are already good; but neither the Home Office nor the police are in any way complacent about this. Good relations between police and public are highly desirable in their own right, and they are also an essential element in an effective crime prevention strategy. We shall therefore continue to encourage the development of police-community consultations about local policing issues, more involvement by the police with young people in schools or in leisure activities, crime prevention initiatives such as neighbourhood watch,590W the increased use of foot patrols and other methods of policing which increase the level of contact between police and public.