Warwickshire Police and Crime Plan Survey

Task 

The role of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) is to be the voice of local people in policing and to hold the Chief Constable to account. The aim of all PCCs is to oversee the delivery of an effective and efficient police service within their force area. PCCs should ensure that the police meet the communities’ needs effectively and that they work in partnership with a range of agencies at local and national level to ensure there is a unified approach to preventing and reducing crime.  

According to law (the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act, 2011), PCCs are responsible for implementing the police and crime objectives for their area through the development of a Police and Crime Plan that is made available to the public. The PCC for Warwickshire commissioned TONIC to gather public feedback from people living and/or working in Warwickshire on the draft Police and Crime Plan for 2025-29.

Our Approach 

The primary method of data collection for this project was through an anonymous online survey, which was supplemented by additional feedback activities (i.e. focus groups) conducted over a two-month period. 

The online survey was hosted by TONIC on EU SurveyMonkey and consisted of both open and closed questions designed to capture qualitative and quantitative data. To alleviate the effects of fatigue and potential attrition, TONIC randomised the order in which the police and crime plan priorities were presented to participants; this ensured all were explored as equally as possible. A paper version of the survey was also offered to participants to mitigate for digital poverty or lack of digital literacy. TONIC created a communications pack that contained social media assets and further promotional material that was shared with relevant stakeholders.  

Alongside the survey, and in partnership with relevant agencies, TONIC conducted wider engagement activities with victims, Victim Support staff, members of the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller (GRT) community, and young people via interviews and focus groups, which were based on the content of the survey.   

In the early stages of the project, TONIC researchers also attended the PCC’s partnership event: Warwickshire working together to make our communities safer, hosted by the PCC to launch the draft Police and Crime Plan to over 100 professionals and key stakeholders. During this event, TONIC facilitated workshops that enabled attendees to comment on the priorities and identify any gaps or areas they felt were missing from the plan.                    

Outcome 

Report – TONIC produced a detailed report of the survey findings broken down by each of the draft 12 police and crime plan priorities. The report highlighted overarching themes, areas of public concern or priority, anything perceived as missing from the plan and suggestions of how each priority could realistically be achieved. 

Executive Summary – The findings and recommended areas for service improvement were presented to the OPCC in a co-production workshop where the overarching findings and themes were shared. Within the workshop it was decided that the most effective way to provide an executive summary of the report would be as a PowerPoint presentation to enable the findings to be easily shared with wider stakeholders across Warwickshire.