PCC invites residents to pose policing and crime questions to Norfolk’s Chief Constable
Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Giles Orpen-Smellie is for the first time holding an in-public meeting where questions submitted by Norfolk’s residents will be put to the county’s Chief Constable.
The quarterly PCC Accountability Meetings (PAM) allow Giles to publicly question, challenge and hold the Chief Constable and senior officers directly to account for their delivery of policing in the county, particularly against the priorities outlined in the PCC’s Police, Crime and Community Safety Plan for 2022-24
The meetings have previously taken place using a virtual format as a precautionary step against Covid19. But on Wednesday 3 August, Giles will meet with Chief Constable Paul Sanford and his senior team to hold the meeting in person which people from across Norfolk will be able to attend and observe.
As with previous meetings, this session will also be recorded and added to the OPCCN website to ensure those who are unable to attend can watch it at a time to suit them and hear the answers to questions that have been submitted.
This meeting will also mark the first time the constabulary will provide reports to Giles on their performance against the priorities laid out in his Police, Crime and Community Safety Plan, which was launched on 31 March.
Questions must be submitted prior to the meeting as the PCC and Chief Constable will not be taking them from the floor. The PCC is encouraging people to share their questions with him no later than 5pm on Tuesday, 19 July 2022 via the OPCCN website, by email or by post.
Giles said: “Previous meetings have shown that people across Norfolk are keen to understand crime and policing in their communities and have submitted questions on a wide range of subjects.
“Not only will this meeting be the first we have held in public, with people from across the county welcome to attend, but it is also the first meeting where I will receive updates related to priorities that Norfolk’s people helped me set when they took part in my consultation last year.
“I have always been keen to understand what issues are of most importance to the county’s residents. Their views were valuable in shaping the priorities of the plan and the questions they submit for me to ask the Chief Constable are a valuable way for them to get the answers they are seeking, but also for me to keep hearing what people are concerned about.”
The PCC Accountability Meeting (PAM) on 3 August will be held in the Dereham Room at the offices of Breckland Council, Elizabeth House, Walpole Loke, Dereham. People are welcome to attend the meeting in person and it will also be recorded and published on the OPCCN website.
Where questions cannot be answered at the PAM, an answer will be provided and published on the OPCCN website within ten working days after the meeting.
Questions must be submitted by 5pm on Tuesday 19 July 2022.