Development of the Police and Crime Plan

As the first Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner to be re-elected, I am also the first to have had the opportunity to build on my original Police and Crime Plan, drawing on the experiences and feedback of residents over the past four years.

In addition to this feedback, and to ensure this updated plan reflects the current needs and priorities of our communities, a robust and inclusive consultation process was also essential.

Between August and December 2024, my team at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) and I conducted a comprehensive consultation, engaging a wide range of stakeholders and the public.

This process aimed to refine and expand my existing plan’s priorities, addressing both long-standing and emerging local concerns.

The consultation employed a combination of methods to gather local perspectives, including:

1. Stakeholder Focus Groups
   A targeted approach was taken to ensure meaningful input from individuals and organisations with direct or indirect involvement in policing, community safety, safeguarding and criminal justice. Stakeholders were invited to participate in focus groups organised around professional experience, capturing the insights of teachers, police officers, businesses, community organisations, safeguarding leads, rural communities, victim groups, and many others. These discussions offered valuable insights and highlighted the interconnected challenges facing our communities.
2. Public survey
   To complement the focus groups, a Surrey-wide public survey was conducted to gather the broader perspectives of residents. This survey provided an opportunity for anyone living or working in Surrey to share their experiences of policing and highlight any areas they felt required greater focus. The feedback collected through the survey was invaluable in ensuring that my new Police and Crime Plan truly reflects the concerns and priorities of local communities – capturing a diverse range of views, from those who interact regularly with the police to those who may only have occasional contact.
3. Engagement events
   In parallel with the formal consultation exercise, I held a series of community engagement events during the latter part of 2024, alongside the Chief Constable and in collaboration with Surrey Police. These events offered an additional opportunity to gather feedback from a wide range of communities, ensuring that voices from across Surrey were heard and considered in the development of my Police and Crime Plan. Held in every borough and district across the county, these events provided a platform for residents to engage directly with myself and representatives from Surrey Police and the OPCC. Attendees were encouraged to share their experiences, raise concerns, and offer suggestions on how policing could better meet the needs of their local areas. The events were particularly valuable in reaching individuals and groups who might not have participated in our focus groups or online surveys, such as older residents and those less familiar with digital platforms. The events were also well attended by local councillors who were able to raise specific concerns and issues they had observed in their communities. By fostering open dialogue in an informal setting, these sessions helped uncover unique insights and priorities that may have otherwise been missed.

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