HUNDREDS more officers, “courageous conversations” to boost public confidence and a “relentless focus” on perpetrators will lead Avon and Somerset to “sunny uplands”. 

That was the vision set out by new chief constable Sarah Crew as she takes the police force on a “journey to outstanding”. 

She promised “radical openness and transparency”, particularly in the policing of protests, and a “revolutionary” approach to tackling disproportionality. 

The top officer said a £10 tax rise for the average band D household – the maximum allowed – was modest compared to the £87million the force has cut from its budget and will more than pay for itself in effectiveness and efficiency.  

The budget continues to be squeezed and significant future savings will need to be made in the coming years. 

Chief constable Crew told the police and crime panel’s budget setting meeting on February 1: “We’ve been fighting fires for a long time. I liken it to a hard winter where we’ve had our heads down, hats pulled over our eyes and looking just ahead. It’s time for us to look a bit further ahead. 

“We’re coming out of winter. There’s a really exciting summer waiting for us. 

“Rebuilding in three years what took 10 years to disassemble does have some challenges.

“We’re seeing a growth of 456 officers. That means introducing over 1,300 new officers by next March. Over a third of officers will have under three years’ service.”

She added: “Austerity has made the body resilient and lean and fit for the future. The uplift in officers, combined with the right culture, enabled by the right leadership, with cutting edge tools and world-class insight, with a trauma-informed environment will add strength to that body and emotional intelligence. 

“These things require investment and I’d say it’s modest by comparison to what we’ve saved and I’m convinced it will more than pay for itself in effectiveness and efficiency. What we’re trying to achieve here is legitimacy and public confidence. 

“There is our future destination, sunny uplands. This is where I truly believe we’re heading if we continue our journey, moving through those growing pains into full maturity. 

“That will be outstanding policing for everyone.”

CC Crew said the force would “turn the dial up on perpetrators”, with high quality case-building, prevention and disruption at the earliest possible stage. 

It will hold “courageous conversations” with communities with lower levels of trust in the police to see how the force can improve. 

The chief constable recognised there was disproportionality in policing and said: “We need to do something really significant, different and revolutionary.

“That’s one of the highest things on my agenda.” 

She said protests are an important part of society, and the force can expect more to come, promising “radical openness and transparency” in how they are policed. 

“We need to open up our training and tactics so people understand what they are and under what circumstances we use them,” CC Crew told the meeting. 

“We need to open up and allow observers into our command rooms – not interference but observation. People there will see really high quality, professional decision making in the moment. That will build confidence.

“We should open up our briefings so people know what tone and style we’re setting for officers, and how we debrief and learn. 

“I really want to open up to the public the mystery of public order policing. It will hopefully build confidence and a new respect for the challenges we face.” 

Officer pay was frozen last year but is expected to increase by a “reasonable” 3.5 per cent in September. 

The force also faces new costs and a 25 per cent hike in gas and electricity bills, and will need to save £3million, after cutting £87million from its budget over the last decade. 

Asked about “significant” future savings, police and crime commissioner Mark Shelford said: “The last thing I want to do, having promised more visible policing, is to start sacking PCSOs. 

“As a consequence of austerity, we’re a lean, mean fighting machine. The areas we can look at are very limited. We’re looking at imaginative and creative ideas constantly.” 

Interim chief finance officer Paul Butler said it was unlikely the savings could be made without some impact on policing. 

“With 80 per cent of our costs being pay, it’s almost inevitable that at those levels we will have to look at non-police officer staffing structures,” he said. 

A consultation showed that two-thirds of people were willing to pay more for policing. 

Mr Shelford said that gives a “solid mandate” for the tax rise but added: “We accept absolutely that residents across the board in Avon and Somerset are suffering from the huge increase in inflation and that every penny counts, but this is 83p a month. 

“We’re trying to get that outstanding police force we all deserve.”

The £10 increase for the average band D household is the maximum allowed. 

The policing precept is expected to increase by the same amount the following two years. 

The panel unanimously supported the increase in the precept. 

The budget includes a number of capital projects, including £8.2million to “evolve” the estate in south Somerset, Minehead and Frome, £7million for a new response base for Bath and £3million for the police stations at Trinity Road and Broadbury Road in Bristol.