Neighbourhood policing cuts

I saw the announcement of the "new Neighbourhood Policing Model" by the temporary chief constable - the last CC having been ousted by Surrey's police commissioner Kevin Hurley - now in turn ousted following the recent elections.

The "new model" seems to be a euphemism for very heavy cuts to the neighbourhood policing that has done us so very well over the past ten years. See www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/sur...-cuts-focus-10436742

I conclude that this is Hurley's doing - as a traditional policeman by background, from the Met, he didn't like what some viewed as cheaper substitute police (the PCSOs) who could do much of the basic work of policing in the community but were not "proper PCs". The PR line is that cutting PCSOs enables some more - but far fewer - full PCs to be recruited and trained and paid. Of course, the PCSOs themselves were an ideal recruiting ground for PCs after trying out in the community role, but that's gone by the board along with PCSO patrols on the streets.

Sceptical about the neighbourhood policing system when I first started to take an interest locally, when I began participating, investigating and writing about it I was won over both by the compelling logic of it and by the quality of the individuals recruited. I think it is a great pity that traditional police dogma has now resulted in huge cuts to this economic and sensible way of community policing. Moreover, the idea behind elected police commissioners was that they would better represent community priorities. But I don't recall that Hurley ever consulted us residents and voters on his aim to reduce neighbourhood PCSO numbers, so I am glad he has now been voted out.