New laptops are helping police in Gedling borough to spend more responding to community priorities, an inspector has said.
The devices mean the officers don’t have to spend as many hours inside police stations and can instead offer more of a high-visibility presence.
A total of 17 Lenovo laptops have been purchased with money from the Safer Streets fund and will be used by PCSOs operating in Netherfield and Colwick and other areas in the county.
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It comes after the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire secured £3 million of funding for a range of initiatives through the latest round of the Home Office’s Safer Streets scheme.
Inspector Rob Lawton, the project lead, said PCSOs in these areas have now been issued with laptops in the same way as police officers, which means much more time spent in the community.
“PCSOs work incredibly hard so this is giving them the tools they need to be more efficient and help them further the incredible work they are already doing,” he said.
“Having a laptop means they are able to be out in the community for a much higher proportion of their working day, so they are out preventing more crime and antisocial behavior and improving victim satisfaction.”
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PCSO Lisa Bee is one of the officers who has been using the new laptops.
“It helps you deal with incidents better on the spot because you have access to all the information you need at your fingertips to deal with things quickly and efficiently,” she said.
“It means the public are getting a better service and should see PCSOs out and about more.”
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire has been working with Nottinghamshire Police and Gedling Borough Council to implement a range of public safety measures as part of Safer Streets.
These range from CCTV and automatic number plate recognition cameras, to Safe Space schemes in shops, street lighting, new Safer Streets Wardens and diversionary activities for young people.
Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said: “The aim of the Safer Streets scheme is to prevent neighborhood crime and antisocial behaviour, and violence against women and girls.
“By equipping these PCSOs with laptops we are freeing up lots more of their time to be out in public tackling each of these important issues.”
For more information about Safer Streets, visit Safer Streets (pcc.police.uk)
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