The Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Tim Passmore, recently talked to PolicingTV about how he and Suffolk Constabulary have used the additional “Safer Streets” funding that he and his team obtained from the Home Office.

“We’ve got around £800,000, and it really has made a difference to defined areas within Ipswich.”

“It has helped improve security, public trust and confidence.”

“It’s very very important that everyone understands that we solve a lot of the problems by working together, that power of collaboration across many agencies, including charities and the voluntary sector makes a huge difference”. “So, for example. it can [provide] funding for improved CCTV coverage, better security on homes and business premises – with things like video doorbells, better locks and so on.”

“And one of the other key points here, is to make sure that people have the confidence to report crime and suspicious behaviour, and that’s where the charity Crimestoppers comes in, because … issues can be reported anonymously [there]. And when you have some of the difficulties like cuckooing, intimidation from drugs gangs, illegal immigration… it’s absolutely fundamental that we can provide all the avenues we possibly can to help people report crime and suspicious circumstances, so the constabulary can get on with apprehending these people, sorting them out and prosecuting them where necessary.”