§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will define operational matters with regard to community policing; and what guidance he issues on community policing. [61621]
§ Mr. DenhamI have no current plans to define operational requirements or to issue any guidance in relation to community policing. Future priorities for guidance will be set out in the National Policy Plan, subject to parliamentary approval.
The Government are determined to maximise the amount of time police officers spend in the community. We are taking steps in the Police Reform Bill to empower support staff to carry out those functions which prevent police officers from leaving the police station and we are encouraging Basic Command Unit Commanders to take innovative steps to increase the visibility of their officers. Also, the Policing Bureaucracy Taskforce, chaired by Sir David O'Dowd, is looking at how we can cut unnecessary bureaucracy in the police service.