What would you like to see Surrey Police focus on in your local community over the next three years?

That is the question Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Lisa Townsend is asking the county’s residents as she launches a public consultation which will help shape her new Police and Crime Plan.

Those who live and work in Surrey are being invited to have their say on what they think the policing priorities should be by filling in a brief survey. It will remain open until December 12..

The Police and Crime Plan will be a blueprint for policing in Surrey for the next three years and provides the basis for how PCC Townsend holds the Chief Constable to account.

It will be published in early 2025 and will cover her current term of office, which runs until 2028.

The development of the Plan is already underway with the Commissioner’s office holding a series of in-depth consultation events over the last two months.

It has involved speaking to a number of key groups such as victim and survivor groups, young people, professionals in crime reduction and safety, rural crime groups and representatives from Surrey’s business community.

Lisa said: “The single most important part of my role as Police and Crime Commissioner for this county is to represent you, the residents of Surrey.

“It is my job to ensure your views on policing in Surrey are heard and that is why I now ask for your help in creating my new Police and Crime Plan. 

“I want to make sure the public’s priorities for policing are my priorities too. This is why I want as many people as possible to fill out the survey and let me know your views.

“Over the last four years, I have spoken with thousands of residents across our county and I know there are issues that consistently cause concern such as road safety, anti-social behaviour, shoplifting, drug crime, the safety of women and girls and visible policing in our communities.

“When I was re-elected in May, I pledged to focus on a ‘back-to-basics' approach to policing in Surrey. Which focuses on tackling those crimes that blight our communities and targeting persistent offenders. 

“This is a commitment I share with our Chief Constable Tim De Meyer, and I believe this approach is already starting to pay dividends.

“However, the road ahead is not easy and there are challenges that Surrey Police must face in the coming years. It is crucial that our resources are targeted where they are most needed, and Surrey Police finds the right balance between visible community policing and the need to combat that hidden criminality.”

The survey can completed at: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/GBGPH3/.