A new poll commissioned by Bedfordshire Police and Police and Crime Commissioner John Tizard has found that most residents trust the county’s police force, but many are increasingly worried about crime and feel less connected to local policing teams than they once did.
The survey shows that 62 per cent of Bedfordshire residents trust Bedfordshire Police, including 13 per cent who say they have a great deal of trust. That places local trust levels slightly above the national average.
The findings come a week after the government confirmed that the role of Police and Crime Commissioner will be abolished from May 2028, with its responsibilities transferred either to combined authority mayors or new boards led by local council leaders.
Mr Tizard, who will continue in post until then, said the findings of the new poll offer “significant and valuable insights” into the experience of people across the county and will be used to inform how the police and his office shape priorities in the months ahead.
“This opinion poll has provided some significant and valuable insights into the experience and views of residents across the county. This is very important to me in my role as the voice of the public into the police. It also important to the police,” he said.
“I am confident and expect that the police will use these independent findings to shape their approach to resource allocation, priority setting, officer and staff training, and communications with the public.”
He added that trust must continue to improve, saying: “Public trust and confidence are essential to effective policing in a democratic country. We must do more to gain ever greater trust across our diverse society.”
The poll found that Bedfordshire Police are seen to perform particularly well in tackling serious violent crime and in treating all members of the community fairly.
But the findings also highlight areas of concern. Victims of crime or those who have reported crime are more likely to say the force is doing a poor job, and many residents feel less connected to local officers than they did in previous years. This lack of connection was seen as one of the biggest issues affecting communities.
The research also shows that Bedfordshire residents are more worried about rising crime than people elsewhere in the UK, although many believe crime is rising faster outside the county. Locally, the top concerns are knife crime at 52 per cent, drug related offences at 41 per cent and antisocial behaviour at 30 per cent.
Younger residents express notably higher levels of trust in the police than older generations. Seventy one per cent of 18 to 24 year olds say they trust the police, eleven points higher than the UK average for that age group. Yet the survey also shows that younger people, especially young men, are less likely to report crimes when they happen.
Chief Constable Trevor Rodenhurst said the force will use the results to strengthen its approach to community engagement and operational planning.
He said: “Listening to our communities is at the heart of policing by consent. We speak with local people every day to understand what matters most and to build trust. This poll gives us valuable insight, which we’ll review alongside feedback we already gather through community engagement and the surveys we now carry out with everyone who reports a crime.”
The police chief said it was encouraging to see strong confidence from younger people and public recognition that the force is targeting the right priorities, including knife crime. He added that the findings support the force’s Winter Plan of Action, which includes extra patrols in town centres after dark and intensified work to tackle crimes like robbery, burglary and theft.
Mr Tizard said the results will shape future grants, commissioning decisions and the way he holds the chief constable to account for crime prevention and public confidence. They will also feed into Bedfordshire Police’s planning, training and community engagement strategies.
Be the first to comment