A police chief has cautiously welcomed proposals to increase bobbies on the beat by cutting red tape.
The Home Office has released the plans in a Green Paper dubbed Policing our Communities Together, which also says it will also scrap unnecessary targets.
Chief Constable Jon Stoddart, of Durham Police, has stressed that the high standards of ser
vice shown by the force – and expected by the public – should be maintained and improved.
He said: "In Durham, our policing plans and aims have always been community based.
"Any help through a reduction in paperwork that will see our neighbourhood police teams on the streets for longer is to be welcomed.
"The success of neighbourhood policing and the reduction in crime – and the fear of crime – this work brings, all helps in improving the quality of life for people in our towns and villages.
"Durham is one of the safest areas of the country.
"We know stronger links between police and communities creates a stronger, more united front in the fight against crime and those whose unruly, antisocial behaviour can bring misery.
"It gives people a growing confidence that their officers will listen and act on what needs to be done.
"To give local people more say in how their areas are policed is a positive move, but the operational independence of Chief Constables must be maintained to allow them free use of their resources to tackle wide ranging matters from terrorism to domestic violence that must be balanced against the needs of neighbourhood policing."
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