Six months on from the launch of a new community policing model in Sandbach and other Cheshire towns, the county's Police and Crime Commissioner, David Keane, has reflected on the results of the programme so far.

Under this model, each of Cheshire's 122 policing communities have been provided with a dedicated police constable (PC) and police community support officer (PCSO).

The new community police officers have been working with their fellow PCSO, the wider policing team, and key partners to build relationships within the community, and help to solve problems at their root cause before they become more serious.

According to PCC Keane, they have aimed to:

• Spend more time in the heart of their dedicated communities, dealing with issues that matter most to local residents.
• Do everything they can to keep in touch with our communities during the Covid pandemic by holding police surgeries and public meetings online or through social media.
• Increase engagement with schools, even when they've been closed, by holding online sessions with those who have been home schooling.
• Pay more attention to our roads by undertaking a session of road safety activity each week.

PCC Keane said: "It's now six months since we launched the roll-out of our community policing model to provide a dedicated police constable and PCSO for all 122 policing communities in Cheshire, along with a community base and a funding package for each community.

"I'm pleased that, despite the challenges we continue to face as a result of Covid-19, we've seen an increase in visible police activity in every area and our officers and staff continue to adapt to serve local residents in light of lockdown restrictions.

"Where restrictions have meant we couldn't meet face-to-face, officers and PCSOs have made every effort to connect to their communities in other ways to continue supporting those most vulnerable.

"This is testament to our commitment to deliver a truly local police service that puts residents at the heart of everything it does. I'm delighted to see the real gains that residents are experiencing."