NOTTS POLICE AND NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH SIGN SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT

Nottinghamshire Police and Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County`s Neighbourhood Watch organisations have signed a groundbreaking document to establish a service level agreement between the three organisations.

The document was signed at the Nottswatch Annual General Meeting, which was held at Nottinghamshire Police Headquarters, Sherwood Lodge, Arnold, on Saturday 29th March 2008. The agreement was formalised following consultative meetings between representatives of the City of Nottingham Neighbourhood Watch Council (City), Nottswatch (County) and Nottinghamshire Police.

The agreement will be subject to annual review and amendment at the request of the partners. The aims of the service level agreement are for the three organisations to:

• Work in partnership to cut crime and the opportunities for crime and anti-social behaviour, to provide reassurance to local residents and reduce the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour, to encourage neighbourliness and closer communities and to improve the quality of life for local residents and tenants.
• Establish a good working relationship and effective co-operation between all parties with clear and prompt communication.
• Establish defined responsibilities of the three partners in connection with the operation of Neighbourhood Watch within Nottinghamshire.

The agreement is a very timely development as it will raise the profile of Neighbourhood Watch coordinators and their schemes, enabling them to contribute more fully to Neighbourhood Policing throughout the County.

Of particular significance is the agreement in the City to introduce a state-of-the-art communications system that will enable beat officers and Neighbourhood Watch coordinators to communicate rapidly with each other and for intelligence from the police to be directed selectively to relevant Neighbourhood Watch schemes.

Chris Robertson, chair of the County Neighbourhood Watch Council, said: This is only the start of our third year and we started from scratch with a few hardy volunteers and financial help from both the county council and the police. However, we`ve now achieved a significant breakthrough with the delivery of this service level agreement between Nottswatch and Nottinghamshire Police.

This is a vitally important agreement as, for the first time ever, Neighbourhood Watch volunteers throughout the county have a written document in which the police guarantee a level of service and will know what they can expect from the police.

Equally, Neighbourhood Watch helpers now know what the police expect from them. This has been agreed, signed and will be respected by both sides. It is an historic moment for Neighbourhood Watch in Nottinghamshire and the whole of the East Midlands.

Professor Peter Usherwood, the chair of the City of Nottingham Neighbourhood Watch Council, said: This agreement formalises the close working relationship that has existed for many years between the Neighbourhood Watch and Nottinghamshire Police.

It provides a clear framework for future collaboration between the partners at grass root level, and clearly defines the roles of the County`s two Neighbourhood Watch umbrella organisations and the support that they and their members can expect to receive from all levels of the Nottinghamshire Police force.

It is encouraging that Neighbourhood Watch and the police have the skills and determination to develop and take advantage of new communication methods and, also, the wisdom for seeing how they can be used to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in our communities.   All parties offered their thanks to Des Corban: Nottinghamshire Police Neighbourhood Watch Liasion officer for his efforts in securing our Agreenment with the Police