More police tackling crime through investment programme
Extra officers and a dedicated fraud squad will result from an investment programme unveiled by Lincolnshire Police.
Chief Constable Paul Gibson said Lincs 2030 marked a turning point for the force after a prolonged period of financial constraint.
The force had campaigned for extra funding and this year was allocated £100.1m up from £95.6m. It was also given special ‘stability’ provision of £12m per annum for the next three years.
“We now have the opportunity to invest with confidence in the areas that will make the greatest difference to our communities,” he said. “This programme ensures we are better equipped, better resourced, and better prepared to meet both current and future demands,” said Mr Gibson.
The investment is designed to strengthen public safety, modernise policing services and build a resilient organisation for the future with the force adding 136 extra police staffing roles, increasing capacity to around 1,240 posts.
Officer numbers will also rise with 28 extra police officers, taking the establishment to 1,218. The force recruitment profile for 26/27 includes plans for up to 128 student officers through the Police Constable Entry Programme and, in addition, sees the force working with Police Now to recruit detectives through its Detective Academy.
Protecting Vulnerable Persons (PVP) is a central focus, with additional resources directed towards safeguarding and investigating serious offences, including domestic abuse, child abuse and sexual offences to improve outcomes for victims and address rising demand.
The force will also expand its Enhanced Video Response (EVR) team, which allows members of the public to engage with police officers and staff via video calls. It was initially piloted in July last year and improved services to the public.
A dedicated Fraud team will be created to tackle this particularly personal and harmful area of crime.
Chief Constable Gibson added: “All these investments are designed to help us build capacity, improve quality and outcomes, modernise the way we work, and ensure we are well placed to meet future challenges and opportunities.
“We have a keen eye on the future and know that we must design and deliver the very best model of policing in Lincolnshire to keep our communities safe, and to be recognised as one of the very best police forces in doing so. This is an unprecedented moment of change for the force and one which we will harness, making sure our communities feel safe and are protected from harm, are informed about our work, and know how to contact and feed back to us.
“A positive future lies ahead.”