Last month I was pleased to attend the passing out parade of Kent Police’s latest trainee officers. It is the second time I have had the pleasure to congratulate our police force’s new officers since 2015 and was particularly delighted to personally welcome 10 graduates heading straight to Medway.
These new graduates are hugely welcome to our local community and the added visibility of new officers on the streets will offer us all that bit more security as we go about our lives. There has sadly been a rise of antisocial behaviour and of the many residents I have spoken to it has been one of their main concerns.
That is why these extra 10 officers are such a boost, and come hot on the heels of another 6 officers who graduated in September. This all comes as part of Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott’s positive plan to have over 200 more police officers in Kent in the next few years.
Medway and Kent face a number of challenges in the coming years as our local population continues to grow and crime in the capital spreads outwards. This is why I will continue to support our police force to get the appropriate funding and officer numbers to address them.
Medway is already at the forefront of policing innovation following the trial of Project Responder which brings together South East Coast Ambulance Service paramedics and Kent Police constables on Friday and Saturday nights to address late night incidents as one unit.
