Commissioner highlights mid-term progress as he marks two years in post

Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner has marked two-years since his re-election by highlighting the progress made against his priorities for policing to tackle violence against women and girls, prevent crime and keep Lancashire safe, at the midpoint of his term in office.

Since his election two years ago, Commissioner Grunshaw has been delivering on the pledges and priorities in his Police and Crime Plan.

Preventing violence against women and girls has seen the launch of campaigns, focusing on both behaviour change of harmful behaviours, through Get the Message, tackling Misogyny, and working with beauty salons through #NailDomesticAbuse to spot the signs of domestic abuse, encourage reporting and diverting to support.

This has been alongside investment into a pilot that has dedicated VAWG PCSOs out in communities in a national first, and lobbying to strengthen legislation and ensure offenders are punished and victims see justice.

The Commissioner has focused on tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in a number of ways, including the illegal use of e-bikes and e-scooters, with more than 1225 seized and crushed over the past 12 months, a 175% increase. Local action on enforcement has joined national lobbying on stronger laws to remove them from Lancashire’s street and ensure they are crushed.

He has also invested cash seized from criminals back into the community to prevent victims and keep people safe, such as £64k to tackle reoffending and £90k awarded by Commissioner Grunshaw to summer prevention projects and seen investment into the policing estate start delivering for the people of Lancashire, with Pendle Police Station opening to the public in April and Chorley to follow next year.

Commissioner Grunshaw was re-elected in May 2024, having served two terms previously between 2012 and 2021.

Clive Grunshaw, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire said:

“Serving the people of Lancashire as Police and Crime Commissioner remains a privilege, and the two years since my re-election has flown by with my Office delivering vital work that helps keep the county safe.

“We’ve seen real progress in delivering on my commitment to prevent violence against women and girls, using the results of my county-wide survey to address the key concerns particularly around domestic abuse, misogyny, and the night time economy.

“Our focus on anti-social behaviour, and in particular the illegal use of e-bikes and e-scooters, has seen action taken at a local level and the county’s voice heard nationally.

“My Violence Reduction Network’s focus on prevention and early intervention has delivered better outcomes for young people, significant reductions in serious violence and major progress across its prevention and early‑intervention programmes, alongside the strong enforcement we continue to see, targeting criminal gangs through Operation Warrior.

“I have also continued to hold the Chief Constable to account by scrutinising police performance on behalf of the public. Investment into the force control room has seen a marked improvement in both emergency and non-emergency calls, and we are also seeing increased confidence to report anonymously.

“This is just some of the work that is delivering for the people of Lancashire, and my Office and I will continue to do whatever we can to hold Lancashire Constabulary to account, support victims of crime and protect the public.”