Written question asked by Dominic Grieve (Conservative) on Friday, 9 January 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 13 January 2009. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Tuesday, 20 January 2009 on behalf of the Home Office.

Community Policing

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the mechanism is for ensuring that neighbourhood policing teams spend at least 80 per cent. of their time visibly working on their patch.

Answer: All police forces across England and Wales have now implemented the Policing Pledge. The Pledge gives the public a clear minimum standard of service and states that neighbourhood policing teams will spend at least 80 per cent. of their time visibly working on behalf of the public in their neighbourhood.The Policing Green Paper explained the new relationship between the Government, police and public. The Home Office has now adopted a more strategic role allowing for grassroots accountability and an enhanced role for Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) in providing public assurance about the quality and standard of policing in all forces. Police authorities will wish to be satisfied that the Pledge is being delivered for local people and HMIC will validate the delivery of the Pledge through their inspection process.Additionally, if the public do not feel the standards within the Pledge are being met they can raise it locally with the police themselves or through their police authority.

Secondary information