Have your say on local policing community engagement

Merseyside Police is calling on the people of Merseyside to work with them in enhancing the community engagement it already does on a daily basis.

Today (Tuesday, 22 September) the force has launched its five-year Community Engagement Strategy. Merseyside Police is continually looking to improve and develop its communications, which we know is vital to maintaining public confidence and satisfaction, and we want to work with our communities to see what community engagement means to them.

Chief Superintendent Matt Boyle explained: “It’s so important that we are communicating with the different and varied communities of Merseyside in the right way. Engagement with our communities is one of the key elements of policing – it underpins everything that we do, in preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, tackling serious and organised crime and supporting victims and vulnerable people.

“We recognise that every time a member of the public meets us; talks to us; sees us in school; bumps into us when we’re patrolling the streets; is visited by us as a victim of crime or engages with us on social media, it’s an opportunity for us to engage with them in a positive way and to listen to what they have to say.

"We are already visible and accessible within our communities building relationships and reducing crime. We do this in a number of ways, in ideal times with face-to-face community meetings (although we have had to curtail them during Covid) to being available on social media and taking part in community events. We are dedicated to making our staff more accessible to the public.

"We want to ensure we have a two-way communication process to allow people to have a say over how their community is policed. We want you to have a voice and be able to represent yourselves and neighbours and be part of the decision making process on how your community is policed.

"We will continue to work with our communities to create, build and support community resilience. It has been proven that communities who come together become stronger, more resilient and intolerant to crime and together we can difference.

"We are developing our network of police support volunteers to play a key part within our communities. Our officers and PCSO’s continue to build upon their strong community relationships, whilst others may provide specialist skills such as IT or financial qualifications

"We are also further developing our relationships with our diverse communities. We want to be able to understand and connect with all of our communities. We already have good links with community and faith leaders and this helps us to forge strong community ties."

Chief Superintendent Boyle continued: “On Wednesday 23 September between 2pm and 4pm we will be holding a Q&A on the Merseyside Police Instagram account about community engagement, which members of our communities can take part in. Information about how to take part will be posted on Instagram on Tuesday, 22 September.

“Also as part of National Inclusion week (which begins on Monday 28 September) our Local Policing community engagement team will be out in the community talking about a range of issues from positive engagement and community relations to funding community projects.”

For more information on the Community Engagement strategy visit www.merseyside.police.uk