Since taking up the role in May 2024, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner David Allen has made significant progress in delivering on his commitment to strengthen neighbourhood policing, improve services for victims, and ensure that local priorities are at the heart of Policing and Fire Service decisions.
Key achievements from the Commissioner’s first 12 months include:
- Securing an additional £1.68 million to bolster neighbourhood policing through the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, ensuring more visible and accessible policing in communities – this money will deliver an additional 46 Police Staff into Cumbria Constabulary almost doubling the size of the Neighbourhood Policing teams across Cumbria.
- Investing more than £120,000 into community projects via the Commissioner’s Community Fund, supporting grassroots organisations which help to ensure crime and anti-social behaviour doesn’t occur in the first place.
- Working with the Constabulary to Achieving a 35.9% reduction in anti-social behaviour and a 20.1% reduction in serious violence in hotspot areas through targeted, partnership-led interventions.
- Investing in Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service through new technology and equipment which will keep Cumbrian residents safe.
- Launching Cumbria’s Neighbourhood Policing Pledge, setting clear standards for local policing across the county.
- Hosting 24 public surgeries across every area of Cumbria, giving residents a direct voice on local policing and fire service issues and the chance for residents to ask any questions or raise concerns directly with the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner regarding the quality of service they have had with their Police or Fire Service or any other issues.
- Investing £3.4 million into Commissioned Services, ensuring tailored, trauma-informed help for those affected by crime.
- Launching a new four-year Police, Fire and Crime Plan, built on public consultation and focused on the issues that matter most to local people.
- Making strong progress towards resolving the £16 million deficit within the police budget that was left by the previous administration: reducing this by £5m, helping to secure long-term financial sustainability without compromising frontline services.
- Championing Cumbria at a national level, ensuring that our voice is heard nationally and that we get the funding we deserve.
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner David Allen said:
“As a proud Cumbrian, it was an honour to be elected last year and to serve you as your Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.
“After serving in policing and law enforcement for 30 years followed by seven years of service in the NHS, I stood to improve the visibility of policing in communities and to ensure that the Fire Service is there for you when you need them.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my first year in office and crucially delivered on the promises that I made to you just over a year ago.
“We’ve successfully lobbied for an additional £1.68 million that will nearly double the size of our neighbourhood policing teams across Cumbria – delivering the visible policing that I promised and that you as residents want and rightly deserve.
“We’ve put the Fire Service on a steady financial footing securing an additional £1 million worth of funding from the Home Office and have invested in new equipment and technology to ensure that Cumbrians are kept safe.
“We’ve invested in the next generation through the Community Fund – investing in good causes and our young people by funding things like rugby clubs, boxing clubs, football clubs, youth clubs and army cadets helping to keep kids off the street at night and into safe places learning new skills and the importance of discipline.
“Anti-social behaviour is down overall by over a third and a 20% decrease in serious violence - I’m not complacent and want to ensure we continue to drive this down.
“When I stood last year, I promised to put communities first — and this first year has been all about delivery. From investing in neighbourhood policing and victim support, to tackling anti-social behaviour and serious violence, I am proud of the progress we’ve made together. There is still much to do, but we are moving in the right direction, and I remain firmly focused on building a safer, stronger Cumbria for all.”