Welcome to my newsletter. I want to start off by talking about a piece of work we are doing to make sure we keep supporting victims in our area as best we can.

I know the impact of crime can be life-changing but with help and support you can recover from your experience and get your life back on track, and here in Northumbria we are lucky to have a fantastic range of specialist services to help people do just that.

It’s important we keep listening to people’s experiences and ensure the voice of the victim is at the centre of our plans and improvements. 

That’s why today I am launching a new Northumbria Victims of Crime Survey - reaching out to those who have experienced crime. With this survey I want to find out how well existing referral processes and support services are working, and where improvements might need to be made in the future.  

I will then feed this into plans as we look to commission services for 2026. By getting this right we are able to reach victims of crime with the best support to meet their needs and also ensure we are evolving provisions to meet new challenges and demands.

There are three surveys so we can capture the views of a range of service users and providers. Thank you for any help you can give completing or sharing this survey.

Victims of Crime 
Children & Young People 
Service Providers 

Best wishes,

Susan Dungworth
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner
PRIORITY 1: ENGAGED AND RESPONSIVE POLICE FORCE

ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITIES

A key part of my role is engaging with local communities to understand their needs so that everyone feels confident to report crime and share concerns.

And so last week I joined police and councillors on a walkabout of High Fell. This provided a welcome opportunity to discuss ongoing issues around motorbike disorder, ASB and crime.

We really want to work with local people and encourage them to help us with information, even anonymously through Crimestoppers - so action can be taken to catch offenders.

We will keep working together to help deliver safer streets and stronger communities.

Thanks to everyone we chatted to along the way.
PRIORITY 2: CRIME AND ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

SAFER STREETS SUMMER INITIATIVE LAUNCHES

A year on since we launched Project Shield, I joined officers and Gateshead Council town centre ambassadors on joint patrols to kickstart our force-wide Safer Streets Summer Initiative work.

During the summer months when it’s warmer and the nights are lighter, we know more people are out and about in our town centres and this always leads to higher levels of both daytime and night-time ASB and crime. And so, we have been coming together planning a range of activity, working closely with partners to try and get ahead of any problems.

We all hope it will help prevent or deter crime, whilst also improving overall feelings of safety so people can enjoy summer in their neighbourhoods and town centres.
PRIORITY 3: SERIOUS VIOLENCE AND ORGANISED CRIME

COUNTY LINES INTENSIFICATION WEEK

I want to share fantastic results from Northumbria Police and partners during the recent County Lines Intensification Week.

·       More than 100 arrests

·       Almost £170,000 of criminal cash seized

·       Drugs and weapons taken off our streets

·       Communities engaged

·       Schools visited, supported by the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit

County Lines destroys lives, exploits vulnerable individuals, and fuels violence – and we will not stand for it.

You said you want to see more done to tackle serious violence and organised crime, and that's exactly why it's a key priority in my police and crime plan.

Together we will continue to disrupt this criminal activity, making it harder for these groups to operate.
PRIORITY 4: REDUCING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS

EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE

Reaching young people as early as possible with knowledge, skills and confidence to make informed, positive choices in their everyday life is so important.

And Pol-Ed is one of the tools helping us achieve that together.

In Northumbria, 250,000 students have received Pol-Ed awareness sessions, and I want to see this grow.

For those who don’t know, Pol-Ed is an educational programme designed to support schools to cover a wide range of topics in assemblies and lessons including consent, healthy relationships and the consequences of criminal behaviour.

Thanks to the 500 schools (and their teachers and students!) from across the force area who have adopted the programme which is being made available to schools through continued funding and support from the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit and partners.

Interested for next term? School.liason@northumbria.police.uk
PRIORITY 5: HATE CRIME AND COMMUNITY COHESION

THE RAINBOW SHONE THROUGH THE RAINCLOUDS

As it promised to be, Northern Pride was unapologetically visible last weekend; we are a passionate bunch up here and we marched with pride, purpose and love.

As Police and Crime Commissioner, my job is to represent all communities and community cohesion is at the very heart of my Police and Crime Plan.

Pride is about inclusivity. Everyone in my office has been trained as LGBTQIA+ Proud Allies, and that’s something I am proud of.

We need to keep working hard to ensure all voices are represented in decision making, recruitment, and community engagement, and we will.  
PRIORITY 6: VICTIMS AND JUSTICE

BRAVE VICTIM LOUISE SHARES HER STORY

This month a brave North Shields victim who tried to leave stalking partner 30 times saw him jailed for 4 yers after subjecting her to years of hell. Louise Sutherland-Knowles waived her right to anonymity to tell of her relief and raise awareness of the help available to others.

Louise said: “The police and other services were just a safety net for me when I was falling, they caught me. As soon as I reported it I got my freedom back.”

My thanks go to Louise for reporting the offences to police – which she stated was the best thing she could’ve ever done. This has meant a domestic abuser, stalker and sex offender is now off the streets thanks to her. I am also grateful that she has shared her experiences to show others that help is there and officers and partners want to do all they can to seek justice for victims.

You can read Louise’s story here.

 
ACCOUNTABILITY IN ACTION

My regular scrutiny programme allows me to hold the Chief Constable to account on key issues including performance, public confidence and neighbourhood policing.

Here are just some of the discussion points from our last meeting:

1.       I asked what progress is being made to ensure we are delivering on the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.
 Alongside the large-scale recruitment campaign, website updates are being made so local neighbourhood police officers are more easily accessible.
2.       Requested an update on incidents attendance figures, which I continue to closely monitor.
 Officers are getting to you quicker and attendance in urban areas has increased from 80% to 85%, and from 59% to 70% in rural areas.
3.       I asked for examples of how the Force is putting technological opportunities into action as part of ongoing modernisation.
Live video call technology is now an option for victims. 95% who have used over the last 2 months have said they would recommend to others.
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