Annual Report 22/23 Accessible Version

My commitments as PCC:

Hold all agencies to account for the delivery of an effective and efficient CJS

Community engagement: As my role is to be the voice of the people, it is vitally important that I engage with, and listen to communities, residents, stakeholders and partners.

The OPCC and I continued to engage via the website which on average received 1,100 visits per month. The corporate @PCCKent Twitter account remained stable at 11,700 followers and the number of people following the OPCC on Instagram grew to 738. The Facebook page grew to 830 followers and posts on Nextdoor which has more than 300,000 members, were frequently viewed by up to 20,000 people. In addition the OPCC has a YouTube channel and continued to circulate a regular e-newsletter to more than 4,700 subscribers, 700 more than last year.

I have actively sought opportunities to engage face-to-face with residents by holding street stalls across the county, including in Gravesend, Larkfield, Northfleet, Paddock Wood, Aylesford and Dartford. I have also held walkabouts in Herne Bay, New Ash Green and Sevenoaks and attended various Parish Council, Women’s Institute, Rotary Club and Public Meetings. In addition, I visited the Mosque in Tunbridge Wells and have spent time on patrol with various policing teams, including the Rural Task Force.

Visiting charities the OPCC supports is equally important and this year I met with representatives from a wide range, including Collaborate Digital, Dads Unlimited, Family Matters, Interventions Alliance, Rubicon Cares, Victim Support and Catch 22. A number were also invited to join the OPCC in our marquee at the Kent Police Open Days in July, which were attended by about 12,000 people. The OPCC also secured a stall at the Kent County Show, which boasts a turn-out of around 80,000 over 3 days.

At both events, members of the public were invited to complete my Annual Policing Survey which included questions on how safe they felt where they lived and whether they thought Kent Police performed well. It also coincided with the appointment of a new Chief Constable, so there were questions about the qualities people thought the individual should possess. The survey was promoted widely on social media and in total 2,964 people had their say.

In February 2023, I launched a pamphlet and presentation called Victim Voice, designed to help victims of crime find the support and help they may need. To raise awareness, I held a street stall in Maidstone and have delivered presentations to a range of meetings and groups. It has also been promoted widely via social media and the OPCC website, where further information is available.