A ZERO-TOLERANCE approach to all criminal and antisocial behaviour will help police reclaim Surrey's streets says the county's Police and Crime Commissioner.
Kevin Hurley – who was elected as the county's first commissioner in November – unveiled his Police and Crime Plan this week.
Along with a pledge to ensure no criminal or antisocial behaviour goes unpunished, Mr Hurley also wants to rebuild respect and confidence in the force, both internally and from the public.
The plan also includes measures to put more officers on the streets and to ensure high standards are met.
But Mr Hurley believes the public must also play a role in rebuilding the force, which has been stung by a potential 23 per cent funding cut from central government.
"There is not a bottomless pit of officers," Mr Hurley told the Mirror.
"There is no one left in the pit – we have been cut to the bone.
"I can't work miracles and make police officers out of thin air, we need to motivate officers and put them in a position to serve."
Mr Hurley's zero-tolerance mandate means officers will always do something about antisocial behaviour – no matter how small. "It is about making the police themselves feel valued and make sure they're motivated," he added.
"But we've also got to remind them that we are expecting a certain standard from them."
On top of zero-tolerance and improved police standards, Mr Hurley has outlined plans to set up community police boards to give residents more of a say and make them feel more valued.
"This will help us get the public behind police and back them to do what they joined up to do," he said.
"My police plan aims to get the police back to doing their job and I want the public and the media to help."
Another key aspect of Mr Hurley's plan is to exploit legislation which allows Surrey Police to seize criminals' profits and put them to their own use.
Currently the force seizes about £700,000 of assets every year but, by cracking down, Mr Hurley aims to increase this to about £1 million, which could pay for about 21 constables on the beat.
As a former officer himself, Mr Hurley praised the hard work Surrey Police currently does.
"The prisons of Surrey are full and someone put the criminals there – and it wasn't the RSPCA," he said.
"But I want us to do more."
Mr Hurley says he will track what changes are being made within the force during his monthly meetings with Chief Constable Lynne Owens.
He admits the changing attitudes to antisocial behaviour cannot be fully assessed for a year, when it will become clearer whether the problem has been reduced.