Commissioner’s Blog
Monday 1 November
My week begins [as usual] with a meeting with the Chief Constable and the Chief Officer Team [COT]. I am given a round up of events over the weekend, plus challenges expected this coming week. One spot of good news is that fewer Russian fans are coming for the match on Thursday than we had been expecting.
The Office of the PCC is recruiting some new staff to reflect the changed priorities and new direction that I am taking. An opportunity to give my existing staff some valuable training and experience. So I lay on a training session on recruitment, interviewing etc for everyone and attend myself. Gosh, things have changed since I last did this – or maybe it’s just that I used to work in publishing in Soho. Job interviews were certainly different back then!
Lizzie [acting Chief Executive Officer] pops into my office. “About this second researcher”, she says. Groan. We’ve been having this debate for weeks now. The office clearly needs a research officer to cope with the avalanche of stuff coming at us from the Home Office, College of Policing and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners. Lizzie thinks we need two, I’m not so sure. No point spending money if we don’t have to. We talk about it and [again] fail to reach a decision.
Tuesday 2 November
The morning is spent “holding the Chief Constable to Account”, as my formal job description has it. This means a 2 hour long Corporate Governance Board at which the COT and my senior staff chew over a vast array of facts and figures while the Chief Constable and I look on – making what are hopefully helpful and informed comments from time to time. All very informative.
The Chief Constable and I then go over to the Lecture Theatre for an attestation of 31 new officers. A very impressive bunch, it must be said. Though what is that old saying about police officers starting to look young? Anyway, I deliver a speech on behalf of the 1.2 million inhabitants of our force area emphasising how valued the police are by the law-abiding public.
Then I dash back to the glass meeting room off main reception to start on the interviews for Researcher – which takes the rest of the day.
Wednesday 3 November
A full day devoted to interviewing applicants to be the OPCC Researcher. The applicants come and go, the questions stay the same. We are sustained by a frequent delivery of tea and biscuits supplied by our PA, the excellent Teresa.
By the end of the day we have whittled it down to two excellent candidates, either of whom could clearly do the job with the skill and professionalism needed. Lizzie – of course – is smug. “I told you we needed two researchers. Just hire them both.” I’m still unconvinced. But how to choose between them?
Then off to Bagworth for an evening public meeting organised by the Bagworth and Thornton Parish Council. I am greeted at the door by Russell George, Chair of the Parish Council. The main room at the community centre is already set out with a top table for Russell and myself, plus an impressive number of chairs in socially-distanced rows.
“Are you expecting that many people?” I ask pointing at the chairs.
Russell shrugs. “Possibly. Hard to tell how confident people are about coming out to something like this given covid and such.” In the event we got nearly 40 people turn up. Not bad for a chilly November evening.
Russell gave me a flattering introduction, then we were straight into questions. The first is from a lady worried about speeding in Station Road, most of the audience nod along in joint concern. Clearly this is a problem. In the longer term we need to ramp up the SpeedWatch programme, and involve the parish council in that. I make a note to feed that into the Police and Crime Plan.
Then comes Anti Social Behaviour. More vigorous agreement from the audience. A long discussion follows, much of it between members of the audience themselves so I comment only now and then.
The meeting wraps up after just over an hour. I notice that the stock of crime prevention cards that I put out have all gone. Given that I put out a bundle of a hundred, it is clear that people must have taken some for their neighbours as well as for themselves. Good stuff
Thursday 4 November.
Most of the day is spent clearing emails and reading reports. But at 4pm I’m off to Belgrave to see the police diwali recruitment stand in Cossington Park. It’s easy to spot. Not only is it the biggest stand in the park but it has a giant sign on top reading “Join the Police Now”. Sergeant Yusuf Nagdi steps forward to greet me while PC Keith Thomas, PC Fiona White and a smartly turned out cadet continue to get the stand ready.
“We’ve had three people ask about joining already,” reports Sergeant Nagdi, “and we’re not even open yet.” Good news.
We all line up for an official photo and put on our best smiles.
“Watch out!!!, shouts the cadet as she points upward, then ducks. The giant sign comes crashing down. Fortunately nobody is hurt.
“I don’t think you fixed that right, Sergeant”, comments PC Thomas, grinning.
Friday 5 November
Representatives of the Yogi Divine Society stop by the office to wish me a Happy Diwali. They also bring some Diwali sweets. Grand!
Then I welcome the gent we have hired to be our next Chief Executive to the office. He still has over 2 months of his notice to work out, but its never too soon to introduce him to our team and show him around the office. Two hours later he leaves with a stack of reports, papers and other bumf. Enough to keep him busy.
Next up is Project Nova. The meeting is on Teams, so I can join from the comfort of my own office. It sounds an impressive outfit delivering a worthy service supporting veterans who find themselves in difficulties. They send over a huge amount of information to demonstrate how wonderful they are, how effective they are and how great the work they do is. But they ask for a hefty amount of funding from the PCC budget.
I don’t have time to wade through all this documentation. Maybe we do need that second researcher after all. Where’s Lizzie…
