Nick Herbert's support for community police

Policing minister and Five Villages MP Nick Herbert has given his backing to neighbourhood policing.

Mr Herbert used a visit to a local police station to state the government’s support for police community support officers.

Mr Herbert, the MP for Arundel and South Downs, made his comments after he met PCSO Lee Matthews and other members of the policing team at Arundel police station from where patrols of the surrounding villages are organised.

PCSO Matthews said: “I felt it was important to highlight the work we do within our communities and for Sussex Police and it was certainly reassuring to hear this work was not going unnoticed.”

Mr Herbert said: “I strongly value neighbourhood policing and the role PCSOs play in delivering it.

“I’m delighted that, despite the savings that will need to be made in the next few years, forces like Sussex fully intend to protect neighbourhood policing.”

Mr Herbert recently announced the national neighbourhood policing fund, which supports the PCSOs, would be maintained outside London for the next two years.

But he made clear the balance between the community officers and PCs and sergeants was a matter for individual chief constables and the new elected police and crime commissioners.

Sussex chief constable Martin Richards has indicated his priority would be to protect the frontline despite having to save £52m in the next five years.