Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (Commissioner), David Allen, has already made a difference to Police and Fire services within his first 100 Days in post alongside the Chief Constable and Chief Fire Officer.
As Commissioner, David Allen is the voice of the public within Cumbria Constabulary and Cumbria Fire and Rescue. It is his duty to also set the policing and fire priorities for the next four years, hold both Chiefs to account to ensure the public are receiving the services that they wish to see, setting the budgets, and commissioning services to support victims.
Speaking on his first 100 days, Commissioner David Allen, said: “I am delighted to say that this weekend will see the completion of my first 100-days in Office. It has been a fabulous 100-days with significant achievements being made to make a direct difference to the people of Cumbria.
“When I ran my election campaign, I focused on five key priority areas, and I want to take this opportunity to update you on how we are progressing.
“At the heart of any good performing force is neighbourhood policing – this was a key desire that was raised with me by residents as they wanted to see more Officers on the streets. I have worked with the Chief Constable and we will, in September, be launching the Neighbourhood Policing Pledge. This Pledge will ensure residents know who their Community Beat Officer is and how they can get in contact. It will focus on visibility, engagement and recognising that a strong relationship between the police and the community is essential for effective policing and public trust. Our goal is to build a safer, more connected community where everyone feels secure and supported.
“In July, alongside the force I launched the Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) hotspot policing with an additional £1m of funding that my office secured from the Home Office. We have identified 18 hotspots and they are receiving additional patrols.
“The early results are really promising. More than 260 hours of patrols took place in these hotspots. In the first month, Officers conducted 49 stop and searches, submitted 166 intelligence submissions, and made 12 arrests. Compared to July 2023, we have seen a reduction in reports – Raffles has seen a 100% decrease in ASB and Serious Violence reports, Workington has dropped from 15 reports to 4 and Barrow from 19 to 6 – so these extra patrols are helping to reduce these crime types.
“Overall, performance is continually improving. Crime had reduced by 0.8% from April 2024 and anti-social behaviour by 6.7% compared to the same time period in 2023. We have also seen the force receive a truly exceptional HMICFRS report. Whilst we are not complacent and will not rest on our laurels as there is a journey of continuous improvement to undertake, the force is in an outstanding position.
“Together, with the Chief Constable, we are making good progress in tackling the £16 million budget deficit I was left with. Net savings of £1.254m have already been identified by the Constabulary and my Office with further reviews ongoing. These savings do not impact on front-line policing or staffing and will increase to £1.7m by 2028/29. Given the funding position that we find ourselves I have taken swift action and already my Office has reduced its budget by 11% the same amount of savings that the Constabulary presently faces. There is still lots of work to do but we are focused on both police and fire delivering the best possible services within their budget.
“In the past, Cumbria has missed the opportunity to have a voice nationally and I am working hard to rectify as quickly as possible to ensure that the county is not forgotten or misses opportunities and funding. To this end, I have become the Chair of the Police Digital Service and a member of the Board for Bluelight Commercial; both are key in the future development of policing and fire and align with the portfolios that the Chief Constable, Rob Carden, holds for the National Police Chiefs Council. I am committed to ensuring Cumbria has a voice and is heard on the national stage.
“As well as holding Police to account, I am also responsible for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service. My priority is to ensure that the service has a balanced budget and the resources that they need to keep Cumbria safe. We inherited a poor Estate footprint and work is slowly starting to happen to make improvements. In the next few months we will see new turntable ladders at Carlisle East and Barrow; these will provide a safe system of work for Firefighters to respond to and resolve incidents at height, and also provide a water bowser for major building fires. They should not be underestimated as they cost in the region of £700,000 each - a lot of money! – but a necessary piece of equipment.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to ask for your help. I am in the process of consulting on my Police, Fire and Crime Plan and would like to hear your views. What do you want in the plan? what do you want us to concentrate on? what is important to you in the area where you live and work? Take my survey to have your say.
“As a proud Cumbrian resident with family all over the county, I look forward to continuing to work with the Chief Constable, Chief Fire Officer, partners and the public on the opportunities and challenges we face. We have the opportunity to make our county even more vibrant, prosperous and an even better place to live and thrive.
“As your Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner, my role is to be the voice of residents within Cumbria, in respect of the Police and Fire services – I am your voice. If any member of the public has a concern about crime in their area, or around the Constabulary or Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, please raise it with me at commissioner@cumbria-pcc.gov.uk or call 01768 217734.”
If you wish to report to police you can do so online at Report a crime | Cumbria Police. You can also phone on 101. Always phone 999 in an emergency or if a crime is in progress.