North East Division Chief Superintendent year end public message

As we march towards the end of what has, in so many ways, been a very busy, challenging and somewhat exceptional year, I wished to pause briefly and reflect.

The world around us all has obviously changed and has been changed, potentially irrevocably, through the pandemic and this has impacted on almost every strand of our daily lives.

The commitment of all of my staff throughout this year, regardless of their roles and including volunteers in the form of Special Constables and Youth Volunteers, has been exceptional. Much of what we do is not necessarily in the public eye, but I know and have witnessed the contributions that have been made and the selfless efforts that have supported so much and indeed so many.

The pandemic has required the broad spectrum of partner agencies across the North East, be they public sector colleagues or services, voluntary sector/groups, the business community and a host of others, to work closer than ever. Collectively there are examples of newly developed solutions and innovation, to previously unknown problems, problems that only a few weeks or months earlier could never have been anticipated. The relationships, which frankly I and many believed were extremely positive and strong before, are now at a level previously never experienced. The genuine desire to look at what we do and how we can jointly improve for the benefit of all the communities we serve has been a real focus for everyone. This is surely a real positive.

How the public have responded during this year is also of particular mention. Of course we have seen a small minority, for varied and at times complex reasons, who have perhaps not always supported the broader cause, but overwhelmingly the attitude, consideration and efforts of so many people and so many communities across the North East has been exceptional. There are many positive examples of community-led actions or activity which have been truly humbling. Likewise, there are many individuals and groups who should be commended for what they have done and continue to do to support people and communities the length and breadth of the area.

From a policing perspective, despite the focus on the pandemic, we have witnessed and responded well to significant crime, horrific major incidents and the type of normal ‘day business’ in our communities and on our roads across the entire area. Respecting my assessment that the policing element of these matters has been positive, I am acutely aware that many will have been personally affected by some of these matters and my thoughts are with all.

I also recognise from a policing perspective, while we have dealt with many thousands of calls and incidents over the year, inevitably we will not have got everything right all of the time. Our long standing culture of policing in the North East is one of learning and reflection and if there are areas where we can improve, we will focus on them and strive to provide a better service.

As we look forward to 2021, perhaps with more than our usual levels of hope, we would all seek improved health, positivity and happiness for the year ahead. Despite the obvious remaining challenges for the new year, there are still many positive things in the pipeline which will support further enhancements in policing and public service in the North East. I thank the public for their continued support and on a personal level and on behalf of my staff, wish you all well for the festive period and 2021.