Leicestershire Police have created a new neighbourhood beat in Rutland which it will start policing from Monday (12 September).
But instead of being a traditional geographic area with shops, pubs, a post office and village school, the beat is a virtual, online one.
Rutland already has its own dedicated teams of neighbourhood officers who patrol the streets, chat with residents, and respond to local concerns. From Monday, those teams will be joined by Police Community Support Officer Matt McDade, who will be available at a click of a button to chat with residents online, via Facebook and WhatsApp.
The pilot project will run for 12 weeks, during which time Matt hopes to chat with hundreds of Rutland residents, answering queries, and providing advice, help and information.
He said:
“In many ways, I will simply be performing the role of a traditional Neighbourhood Officer – but online instead of up and down the street.“What the cyber beat project hopes to provide is an additional way for people to talk to us and to discuss the issues that are affecting them locally.“My cyber beat is open to anyone who lives in Rutland and I hope that it proves an easy way for people to chat to me without having to step outside their homes.”
Inspector Gavin Drummond said:
“We’ve developed cyber beat to provide better policing services for the communities which Leicestershire police serve. The intention is to use digital communications channels to connect with our communities.“Society has changed dramatically as a result of new technologies, and for many people their “community” is not particularly a geographic one but something that exists online.“More and more we conduct a lot of our daily activities online – from banking to shopping and general communication, talking to friends, colleagues and loved ones.“Cyber beat will help us to respond to these societal changes and provide a really easy way for people to chat with their local officer.“The purpose is not to replace traditional, physical policing in our neighbourhoods, but instead to provide an alternative and additional community service.”
The Rutland Cyber Beat can be accessed from 9am on Monday, September 12 by following PCSO Matt McDade on Facebook, Twitter and / or by emailing him at matthew.mcdade@leicestershire.pnn.police.uk.
A second Cyber Beat will be launched on September 30 aimed at residents in the eastern part of Leicester city centre. It will be run by PCSO Ben Hill.
Comments on Leicestershire Police Facebook page are not 100% supportive.
there has been criticism of PCSO Matt McDade profile photograph.
comments:
"Oh my god this is crazy, next they will be telling us they have set up a site for burglar's to contact them to tell them when and we're they plan to burgle next. Then there's car 🚗 theft but no worries the car thieves will be able to email the police and tell them we're to catch them.
Then there is violent crime, don't worry the email address is on the website, so when you get battered to a pulp ask the offender to email the police before they run 🏃 off and leave you for dead.
Anyway here's hoping you all have a safe day and night, don't forget Leicestershire police 🚓 are only a email away. Lol 😁"
" It's ok, we have speed cameras to catch the muggers, the drunk drivers, the robbers, the socially inept, etc etc"
"Utterly ridiculous, and I say that as someone who once was a police officer! This is NOT policing, community or otherwise, and is absolutely no substitute for bobbies being out on the streets. Furthermore, doing this virtual policing with a PCSO just makes it even more ridiculous. Come on, Leicestershire Police, the sooner you drop this crazy half-baked plan the better."
"Not impressed, we need officers out and visible not sitting at a desk on Social media, the criminal fraternity must be laughing, we pay for law enforcement and we are ending up with a detective agency with more and more officers taking desk jobs or specialising in some way, ok you may solve some crime but that won't actually help those who are victims. Just my very frustrated opinion."
"Probably a thoroughly nice chap, but not the most professional photo from Leicestershire police. Looks like a picture that could be on the 'who works here' welcome board at the local leisure centre! Aside from that it's a stupid idea that will just waste more valuable policing time on time wasters"
I agree I have never like the casual image of the police or its PCSO's This image would look good on Tinder, Grindr etc.
I photographed him in May here in Oakham with PCSO Nicole Welsh on a day off from Market Harborough
A positive comment:
I think that this is good, you are all missing the point, this is xtra to the neighbourhood team,therefore beneficial. We all know how long it takes to get the police out to an incident, at least this way there will be another point of contact. I had to call 999 today and was actually in a queue!!!! So if this officer is on hand to talk to and be able seek reassurance then that is good. It is also valuable to the people out there who may be vulnerable and not able to leave their home, they too have a point of contact, if they have access to modern technology. Anyway it's a pilot and if it is felt it is not beneficial then it will not stay, but don't knock it until it's tried, it may work!!! And at least they are trying to move forward with the times and especially with all the cuts they have had!! Well done and good luck 😄
The idea is not really that new. Police have had a online presence for a long time now Many forces including Leicestershire Police have public profiles on interactive sites.
