More officers will now be ‘in right place at right time’ as new model of neighbourhood policing is introduced across Gedling borough

A new model of neighbourhood policing has been launched today across Gedling borough that Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden said will put officers ‘in the right place at the right time’ to tackle community priorities and improve trust and confidence.

All 12 neighbourhood policing areas across Notts will see a consistent presence of bobbies on the beat, with resources safeguarded so they can be dedicated to working shoulder-to-shoulder with the community and being visible, accessible and familiar to people in their neighbourhoods.

The new model, which started being phased in from October, is already starting to have an impact – including a recent arrest of a man in connection with a stalking investigation and a successful shoplifting crackdown. 

Commissioner Godden said: “Under this new model, there will be an uplift in officer numbers in the neighbourhood policing role and shift patterns have changed to ensure there are officers on duty in all 12 neighbourhood areas every day, throughout the day and into the evening.

“As well as that, neighbourhood officers will no longer be routinely taken out of their core role to support the night-time economy – leaving them to do what they do best, which is engaging with local people and working with them to problem-solve and carry out targeted activity on issues that matter to local people.

“It means people will see more bobbies on the beat in the areas where they live and work and can get to know their local officers and build that relationship of trust and confidence. This is a plan to make all of our communities safer, whether they are urban or rural communities.

“This model allows officers to identify community concerns and take prompt, effective, targeted action against those concerns by focussing on them as local priorities to ensure communities feel safe and listened to.”

Having teams available on two shift patterns throughout the day and evening on each neighbourhood policing area means they are in their communities when they are needed most and have a greater ability to work together with the community to deal with local issues swiftly and effectively to provide community reassurance.

Chief Constable Kate Meynell, of Nottinghamshire Police, said the new neighbourhood policing model was implemented after a demand mapping exercise and aimed to ensure resources were being utilised at the times the public needed them most.

“Nottinghamshire Police is a busy force, with around 1,000 calls for service a day from the public – which is a substantial demand,” she said.

“Demand has changed over time and this new neighbourhood policing model is enabling Nottinghamshire Police to meet that by being data driven and putting resources where the demand is.

Night-time economy and events policing will still be appropriately resourced, but using other policing teams such as response and tactical support officers and utilising overtime where necessary.