| Police Scotland Chief Constable Phil Gormley QPM visited V Division, Dumfries and Galloway last week to meet officers, staff and partners who are helping to keep people safe across the region. Mr Gormley met with the new Divisional Commander Gary Ritchie and a number of officers, staff and those who work in partnership with Police Scotland where he was able to listen to their views on the service currently being delivered. It was Mr Gormley’s first visit as Chief Constable to the area and he said “I am delighted to be getting out and about around Scotland to hear and see at first hand how the service is being delivered across our communities, whether in our larger towns and cities or down here in rural Dumfries and Galloway.”
Mr Gormley highlighted how Police Scotland is urging everyone in Scotland to take just 15 minutes of their time to help shape the country’s future policing priorities. In asking people to make sure ‘Your View Counts’, it is changing the way people can let the service know how they can best keep people safe. Mr Gormley said: “I am committed to listening to the views of everyone in Scotland because their opinions allow us to shape local policing priorities. “Instead of surveying people once a year, we are adopting a flexible, digital-based continuous process which increases access and engagement with all of our communities. If their priorities change during the year, they will be able to tell us what is important to them at that time, and allow us to respond accordingly.” Mr Gormley, however, made clear that while the new system was digital based, the consultation process was designed to be wholly inclusive and took account of the fact that not everyone in Scotland has access to a computer. Mr Gormley added: “We are partnering with libraries and community facilities to make sure everyone can have the opportunity to tell us what is important to them in their community. Free access to a computer connected to the internet is available in hundreds of locations across the country and I would encourage everyone in Scotland over the age of 16 to invest just 15 minutes of their time to tell us what they think. Every response will be read and, wherever possible, incorporated into our planning for policing within their community. “We are also meeting directly with community groups throughout the country to ensure everyone can have their say, whether they can access a computer or not. Our new public consultation is an ongoing national process that helps officers respond in the most appropriate way to the particular needs of their local communities.” Chief Superintendent Gary Ritchie, Divisional Commander for Dumfries and Galloway said – “This is a fantastic opportunity for the community to come together and tell us what matters most to them across Dumfries and Galloway “It could be that you want to communicate issues which affect you locally, or perhaps you wish to reflect on the work we do as an organisation. All of these views will help shape how we deliver our service across Dumfries and Galloway by influencing our local priorities. “It takes just 15 minutes to complete, so I would encourage everyone to get involved by visiting our website www.scotland.police.uk/yourviewcounts.” The responses to the consultation process will be continuously monitored and quarterly progress reports will be published on the Police Scotland website.
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