Neighbourhood Policing Strategy 2026-2029

Over the course of the past 18 months, I have spent hours talking with people across Norfolk about what they want and expect to see from their policing service. And their answers invariably come back to how their local community is kept safe, how the police work in their area, and how priorities for policing are set.

As far as many people are concerned, good policing is neighbourhood policing.
I have also spent hours with officers, staff and volunteers who work in Safer Neighbourhood Teams, as Beat Managers and Engagement Officers, or who as cadets and Specials are involved in policing the places they live and work.

There is a clear professional pride and commitment across the Constabulary for delivering the service that people expect, and this Neighbourhood Policing Strategy is an important part of establishing and embedding expectations and practice.

As the government has committed to funding more neighbourhood police officers, so Norfolk’s Police and Crime Plan looks to strengthen and enable these officers’ work too. The first steps have been taken to delivering on these commitments, and the new Public Voice initiative is an exciting first step on that plan. I look forward to seeing the outcome of this strategy, for the continued benefit of all our communities across Norfolk.

Sarah Taylor
Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk

The defining features of neighbourhood policing can be traced back to Peelian principles and are as important today. They are at the inception of the police service: the clear emphasis on prevention, the recognition that the police are part of the community and police by consent.

There are clear benefits to consulting communities on how and where local police resources are best deployed and how neighbourhood policing is delivered. Policing delivery continues to evolve in the context of reducing budgets and changing demands; however, Neighbourhood Policing with its intrinsic links to the original foundations of policing will always be an essential and important element of modern policing

The College of Policing defines the core principles of neighbourhood policing as being:

• Police officers, staff and volunteers who are accessible to, responsible for and accountable to their communities.
• Engagement with communities that builds trust and develops a sophisticated understanding of community needs.
• Collaborative problem solving with communities, partners, and private, public, and voluntary sectors.

Highly visible and locally connected Neighbourhood Policing Teams are the foundation of our force, with local teams providing a key between the Constabulary and our communities, building trust and confidence.

This strategy sets out how we will ensure that our Neighbourhood Policing Teams are visible, accessible, and connected to their communities, ensuring that they understand, focus, and respond to the issues that most affect them.

Through this approach, we will deliver exceptional policing services for the people of Norfolk and improve the quality of life for every resident we serve.

We are committed to delivering a truly local neighbourhood police service, underpinned by the principles of modern neighbourhood policing as set out in the College of Policing Modernising Neighbourhood Policing Guidelines, The ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ framework and the Home Office Strategic Policing Requirement. Also, the recent HM Revenue and Customs Serious and Organised Crime Inspection and The Baroness Casey Review into the Metropolitan Police further highlights that neighbourhood policing must underpin the Constabulary’s response to crime and anti-social behaviour.

To reflect the recent Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, the priorities now adopt the six pillars of Neighbourhood Policing.

A strong neighbourhood policing model that operates in accordance with these principles, whilst recognising the need for local flexibility, will be a key part of delivering the Norfolk Police, Crime and Community Safety Plan and achieving the Constabulary’s vision of providing exceptional policing for Norfolk, underpinned by our Mission and Principles:

To deliver neighbourhood policing, which builds trust and confidence amongst our communities and is effective at preventing and reducing crime and disorder, we will:

• Deal robustly with anti-social behaviour
• Have a visible presence in our communities
• Be prevention focused and seek to intervene early
• Embrace and develop opportunities for Norfolk citizens to have an active role in local policing
• Make best use of our specialist capabilities

Norfolk is divided into three Districts, aligned to district council boundaries. Within this model we have seventeen Local Policing Commands, each overseen by a district command structure. Our Local Policing Commands incorporate dedicated neighbourhood teams. The officers who work in these teams have ownership and accountability for dealing with the crime and anti-social behaviour in their area.

Each district has an Operational Partnership Team (OPT). In these teams, police and partners work together to problem solve longer term issues in order to try to reduce the demand caused by specific individuals and locations. Our OPTs have close links with Early Help Hubs that are housed within district council offices. The hubs ensure there is a strong partnership focus on addressing emerging needs through early intervention.

Our District Engagement Officers are responsible for developing Citizens in Policing at a local level, coordinating, and delivering proactive local community engagement, and monitoring levels of tension in their communities.

Our Local Communications Officers perform a crucial role in keeping the public informed about the activities and outcomes of local Neighbourhood Policing Teams through social media and other communication channels.

This model ensures that we have local teams dealing with local issues, and provides countywide coverage so that all our communities, including those living in our most rural areas, have ready access to policing services, are engaged and have the opportunity to participate in the setting of local priorities.

Our Community Safety Department supports the operational delivery of neighbourhood policing as well as supporting the wider County Community Safety Partnership.

There are specialist teams focussed on problem solving, crime reduction, anti-social behaviour, designing out crime, Licensing, Citizens in Policing, rural crime, mental health, Integrated Offender Management, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, children & young people and Police Cadets.

Neighbourhood policing delivery and performance is overseen by a formal governance and meeting structure.

Our Neighbourhood Policing Command Structure:

• Executive Lead (Director) for Neighbourhood Policing
  Assistant Chief Constable Local Policing
• Strategic Lead (Department Head) for Neighbourhood Policing
  County Policing Command Chief Superintendent
• Tactical Lead (Specialist Commander) for Neighbourhood Policing Community Safety Superintendent/Chief Inspector
• Thematic Lead (Specialist Inspector) for Neighbourhood Policing Community Safety Inspector
• Operational leads (District Commander) for Neighbourhood Policing
  District Commanders
• District Inspectors
  Responsible for Operational Partnership Teams, Local Policing Neighbourhood Sergeants, Beat Managers, District Engagement Officers, Neighbourhood Policing Teams, Moonshot Teams and Response.

Our Neighbourhood Policing Meeting Structure:

• Neighbourhood Policing and Response Policing Engagement & Investigations Board
  ACC Local Policing
• Neighbourhood Policing Improvement Board
  Head of Community Safety
• District Operational Neighbourhood Policing Meetings
  District Commanders
• Force Tactical and Tasking Coordination Group
  ACC Local Policing
• CPC Quality, Standards and Performance SMT
  Head of County Policing Command

We will continue to invest in specialist teams and technology to support the effective delivery of neighbourhood policing; utilising our Community Policing Team, Rural Crime Team, Safer Schools Partnership and drone technology. This will be supported by our Safeguarding and Investigation Directorate, which will use the most up-to-date technology and policing techniques.

In December 2024, the Home Secretary outlined the plan for a Neighbourhood Policing Performance Framework. This identified the six pillars within a Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

• Police back on the beat
• Community led
• New neighbourhood policing career pathway
• Crackdown on Anti-Social Behaviour
• Safer town centres
• Volunteering in policing

Our strategy defines how we will deliver against each of these core pillars, thereby achieving effective two-way communication, protecting the most vulnerable in our communities, and delivering evidence-based collaborative solutions to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and the impact that these have on our communities. By prioritising our actions against the six core pillars, our Neighbourhood Policing Teams will provide local policing which builds trust and confidence.

The effective delivery of neighbourhood policing in Norfolk will be achieved by our Neighbourhood Policing Teams, who will be given sufficient support, direction, time, and resources to work in a proactive and preventative way. We must continue to adapt to the challenges of changing crime and the evolving needs and expectations of our diverse communities, making the best use of modern tools and technology.

 

Police back on the beat

Why it is important?

Accessibility and visibility inspires public confidence and increases satisfaction in our service. It helps us to better understand our communities, solve problems effectively and deliver targeted activity.

How we will achieve it:

• We will be visible, accessible, responsible for, and accountable to, our communities.
• Deliver focused engagement and target our activity where there is the greatest need.
• Focus activity on the greatest, threat, harm, demand and concern to our communities.
• Deploy visible policing through intelligence informed patrols.
• Protect Local Policing Teams from unnecessary abstractions.

 

Community Led:

Why it is important?

By identifying and solving local community problems, we can try to successfully reduce crime and build trust and confidence within our communities.

How we will achieve it:

• A named and contactable officer for every neighbourhood, responsive to local problems.
• Residents and local businesses will be able to have a say on the police’s priorities for their area.
• Bespoke engagement to meet our communities differing needs.
• Break down barriers to hard-to-reach groups.
• Use multiple channels of engagement to provide information and reassurance.
• Ensure communities are aware of policing priorities and how to influence them.
• Monitor community tensions and respond to try and reduce these.

 

New neighbourhood policing career pathway:

Why it is important?

New training for officers and standards for professional excellence will ensure neighbourhood policing is developed as a specialist policing capability.

How we will achieve it:

• Working with the College of Policing to deliver the six modules of learning;
  Engaging communities, Problem solving, Anti-social behaviour, Working in partnership to prevent and reduce crime, Protecting communities from serious and organised crime, Neighbourhood management.
• The training package will consist of four parts; NPP1 for new recruits and neighbourhood policing officers. NPP2 weeklong, face-to-face, interactive training for all neighbourhood officers and staff. NPP3 further training for neighbourhood Sergeants and Inspectors. NPP4 training for BCU Commanders.

 

Crackdown on Anti-Social Behaviour:

Why it is important?

Anti-social behaviour causes harm to individuals, families and communities and, if left unchecked, can lead to more serious offending. The Forces aim is to create safer communities where individuals can live, work, and thrive without the fear of ASB impacting their daily lives.

How we will achieve it:

• Proactive prevention strategies with partners.
• Take ownership of problems at a local level and be innovative with our solutions.
• Involve and empower local communities with self-sustaining solutions to problems.
• Employ the Scan, Analyse, Respond and Assess (SARA) problem solving model using evidence-based targeted activities.
• Utilise specialists to design out crime, analyse patterns and advise on problem- solving techniques.

 

Safer town centres:

Why it is important?

Following on from Home Office guidance, we will focus on the crimes that matter most to communities. Retail theft and assault on retail workers form part of the wider Neighbourhood Policing Strategy.

How we will achieve it:

• Focus activity on the greatest, threat, harm, demand and concern to our communities.
• Use targeted policing to tackle community priorities and engagement.
• Employ evidence-based problem -solving with partners and Neighbourhood Policing Teams.
• Use specialist resources, technology, policing powers, and diversionary opportunities within our proactive, intelligence-led teams.
• Use prevention focused policing: Identifying, and disrupting those causing the greatest harm.

 

Volunteering in Policing:

Why it is important?

The Special Constabulary and Volunteers strengthen our ability to keep communities safe. Specials bring additional visibility, capability, and connection to local policing through their unique blend of lived experience, professional skills, and voluntary service. Their presence builds trust, enhances engagement, and supports frontline officers in delivering effective, targeted policing where it matters most.

How we will achieve it:

• We will maximise the impact of Special Constables and volunteers by deploying them where their skills, experience, and local knowledge add the greatest value.
• Investment in recruitment and training by actively organising proactive recruitment events, provision of a dedicated Specials police trainer, delivering bespoke content
• Enhance visibility and reassurance through regular, intelligence-led patrols carried out by Specials alongside core policing teams.
• Strengthen community engagement, using Specials’ ties to local areas to better understand concerns, listen to residents, and help problem solve early.
• Support policing demand by focusing Special Constables on priority neighbourhood issues, vulnerability, and high harm concerns including proactive hotspot patrols.
• Increase capability and confidence through structured training, clear tasking, and meaningful integration with regular officers and local teams.