Have your say on police operational changes in survey

Members of the public are being urged to have their say through the internet questionnaire, which aims to gather views on new ways of working to save money and to measure satisfaction with current performance.

Bedfordshire Police and Police Authority are grappling with a £19million budget shortfall over the next four years and need to save £6.3million this year, with an additional £5.6million in 2012/13.

As part of the work, the Police Authority is trying to build an accurate picture of what the public expects from police services which will help it prioritise resources.

People taking part in the survey will be asked about their awareness of forthcoming reforms such as the introduction of Police Crime Commissioners, their expectations for police officer visibility, and the priority crimes they perceive to be most important in their area.

Peter Conniff, chairman of Bedfordshire Police Authority, said: “All our efforts to retain resources and protect performance in the current financial climate are for the benefit of the public and so it’s only natural for the Police Authority to want to gather residents’ views to give us a better shot at meeting expectations.

“It is the responsibility of all residents to work together to create a safer environment to live in and completing this survey is one way of ensuring that police set the right priorities and tackle those issues which require the greatest attention.”

Members of the public have until September 26 to complete the survey. Have your say by visiting www.bedfordshirepoliceauthority.co.uk