Policing changes mean officers spend longer on the beat in Rutland
Rutland’s police inspector says her officers are doing “what they signed up to do” and spending more time on patrol after a restructure.
Neighbourhood teams across the Leicestershire force have spent 40 per cent more time on the beat since their roles changed on Monday last week.
Much of the work they used to do, such as investigation and planned arrests, is now carried out by specialist units. As a result, Rutland’s two neighbourhood sergeants and four officers can spend more of their day on patrol.
Inspector Lou Cordiner is commander for the new Eastern Counties unit, which includes Rutland, Market Harborough and Melton Mowbray. She said: “The officers are chuffed to bits. They are genuinely enthused.
“They can get back to the work that they have been wanting to do for so long, and now have time in the day to do.
“All of my staff have said it’s pretty extraordinary. It’s enabling them to do what they signed up to become police officers to do.”
Figures for specific policing areas are not yet available.
The changes were brought in as part of the force’s ongoing transformation to save money and improve efficiency. Chief Constable Simon Cole said: “It has been an exciting and challenging time for officers and staff as they get used to new ways of working. I am really proud of the hard work and dedication, and early indications suggest the model is bedding in well and I look forward to the weeks ahead.
“Along with other senior police officers and police staff from across the force, I have been out and about meeting many of the new teams and units, and have seen first-hand the enthusiasm and how services are changing for the better. As expected there have been a few teething issues but nothing we wouldn’t have expected with a change of this scale.”
Leicestershire Police has launched an online survey on the future of the force. Visit www.leics.police.uk/futureoftheforce.