1. Insp Chris Hunt Ps Duncan Wallace

2.  The past year has presented significant challenges for emergency services and the public sector in general.  Unlike some police forces, Hertfordshire is committed to the delivery of Neighbourhood policing.  This commitment is made not only by the Chief Constable, but also Mr David Lloyd, Police and Crime Commissioner.

4.  We have continued to maintain a dedicated team committed to policing the rural landscape of East Herts.  We have continued to support local events and initiatives.  We continue to work with and develop working relationships with rural communities to maintain a service rightly expected.

6.  This year has seen parish councils receiving monthly updates from their local Community Support Officer, ensuring basic feedback around crimes and incidents occurring in their locality.  These updates are supplements by additional editorials such as the Buntingford Rural News, distributed via the OWL network.

8.  This initiative has evolved to encompass the identification of all aspects of vulnerability.  The team has embarked on an ambitious programme visiting all villages to conduct safeguarding and preventative advice.  We are supported by partner agencies including East Herts council and the Fire and Rescue service

10.  OP STOMP events as well as promotion at public events has enabled us to double our coverage of those people engaged with OWL.  This communication empowers the community and actively seeks to involve them promoting the aspiration of Mr Lloyd that crime is ‘Everybody's business’.

12.  Operation Agrarian involves agencies such as VOSA, Trading Standards, East Herts District Council, HMRC fuel testing unit, HMRC Hidden economy team.  This proactivity enables us to not only detect criminality, but also disrupt and displace it!

14.  The Neighbourhood team have responded to demands around the policing of public and community events, the largest of which is Standon Calling, a licensed event with up to 10,000 capacity.  Other events include, the Womens Tour, Magna Carter, Buntsfest, Lights of Love, Town Carnivals and many others.

15.  We continue to face significant challenges.  Continued budget constraint, growing communities and expectation.  The service will continue to evolve to meet these challenges.  Collaboration is part of this process.  We will strive to deliver the operational policing plan for 2015-2016 and beyond.

16.  Reducing crime and Anti-Social behaviour  Catching Criminals  Keeping people safe

17.  Safeguarding.  Targeting Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour  Maintain public focus  Ensure our strategic requirements are met.  Offender pays ethos to include restorative justice  Making best use of resources

18.  By maintaining and developing working relationships with our communities.  Utilisation of alternate resources such as volunteers and Special Constables.  Maximise the powers and capabilities of partner agencies.  Utilise the support of other bodies such as the NFU, CLA, RSPCA, Natural England.

19.  The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with them. This principle remains as valid today as when initially cited and remains the aspiration of the neighbourhood team.

20.  To deliver a service which transpires into making East Hertfordshire a place where communities flourish and where people actively want to reside, work and play!