According to the Deputy Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire Police, it is a ‘disgrace’ that one in every ten residents has lost faith in the force.
On November 20, the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Panel, which monitors force performance, made the remarks. In addition, Deputy Chief Constable Steve Cooper stated that a new board has been formed to address the issue.
Panel members also questioned “alarming” figures indicating that only 40% of people in Bassetlaw trust the police. In comparison, 52%, or slightly more than half of Nottinghamshire residents, say they have confidence in officers.
During the discussion, Deputy Chief Constable Steve Cooper said it was a “disgrace” that one in ten people did not have faith in the force.
“A new board has been formed to look into all issues of trust and confidence,” he said. Do I believe 52% is acceptable? Certainly not. Is it acceptable for 13% of the population, or more than 1 in 10 people, to lack confidence? Certainly not. It’s a travesty. However, the new board should demonstrate how seriously we take it.”
Notts Police publishes confidence figures as part of its performance update for the police and crime plan. In the year to September 2023, 40% of those polled in Bassetlaw said they trusted the police, down from 45.9% in the year to September 2020.
Bassetlaw has the lowest levels of confidence in the county, while Nottingham city residents have the highest levels of confidence, at 58%. Caroline Henry (Con), Police and Crime Commissioner, expressed dissatisfaction with the statistics, but added that public trust in police officers is a national issue.
