DYFED-POWYS POLICE has this week published its Strategic Equality Objectives for the next four years, 2016 to 2020.

The objectives are six key things decided upon after speaking with communities, others they work with and their workforce, which collectively they believe will help to safeguard our communities, in a way that meets everyone’s needs.

The objectives are:

• To raise awareness of what Hate Crime and Hate Incidents are and how to report them in an attempt to increase the confidence of members of the community to report Hate Crime and Incidents
• To ensure that services are accessible to all minority groups within our communities, and further ensure that they receive the appropriate level of service when they do access them
• To ensure that staff and officers have the appropriate knowledge and resources to take into account our ageing population through service delivery and workforce management
• To provide a high level of service when responding to cases of persons experiencing mental ill health or crisis
• To increase the diversity of our workforce to more accurately reflect the communities we serve, across all ranks and specialisms
• To promote health in the workplace through raising awareness of mental ill health and distress preventative measures, with a view to reduce absence on the grounds of psychological sickness

Deputy Chief Constable Liane James said:“Having specific objectives helps keep everyone’s mind focused and most importantly, ensures that we are developing a service which our communities have had an opportunity to have a say in.

“It’s really important we deliver a service that is accessible to all our communities and is mindful of all our communities’ needs. It is also important that our Officers and Staff are supported to deliver a standard of service that remains amongst the best nationally”

In developing these objectives, the force worked with other organisations in the public and voluntary sector and together, they asked people to think about their lives and things that influence their lives, including crime and access to justice.

Questions asked to participants were:

• What works well?
• What does not currently work so well?
• What would make it better?

Speaking about her organisation’s role in developing this work, Sara Phillips, Charity Manager at Carmarthenshire People First, said: “Carmarthenshire People First were delighted to be tasked with facilitating the Equality Consultation Events in Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion. We passionately believe in the importance of public engagement. It is important that the people the Force supports and protects have a voice.

“The events were informal and we tried to inject an atmosphere of fun into a serious topic. It is essential that the views of the communities are heard, listened to and part of the Equality Strategy. Engagement promotes ownership and the communities will now have an investment in this strategic document.”

Speaking about her organisation’s role in developing this work, and specifically about how she worked with us to develop and Easy Read version of the strategy, Karen Chandler, Chief Officer at Pembrokeshire People First, said:”We are delighted to be working with Dyfed-Powys Police in the preparation of the easy read version of their Strategic Equality Plan. “Our members, adults with learning disabilities and/or autism, have been very involved in the preparation of the plan, and feel their voices have been heard as to the equalities issues that are a priority for them, and for other vulnerable people. And an easy read version of the plan is an essential, so that PPF members can continue to be “critical friends”, driving forward further improvements in Dyfed-Powys Police’s equalities agenda.”

The publication of these objectives is a refresh of a document originally published in 2012, where the force then set out a number of objectives aimed at improving its stop search process; improving engagement with communities, including young people and enhancing the support it provides internally to ensure the mental wellbeing of Officers and Staff.

How the force did in implementing these objectives can be found in the Strategic Equality Plan 2016 – 2020.