Officers set to move to new police hub in Leighton Buzzard
The force’s community policing team is to start making the move to Bossard House over the coming weeks as the new policing facility in West Street begins to take shape.
PCC’s school absenteeism pilot helps over 100 young people
More than 100 young people have engaged with a pilot project led by Bedfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner to help schools tackle persistent absenteeism in the county. Festus Akinbusoye has made the absenteeism project one of his flagship projects in a bid to reduce the number of young people that could become vulnerable to exploitation […]
Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Festus Akinbusoye has backed efforts to tackle violence against women and girls during a national awareness week.
The Commissioner highlighted programmes such as Safer Streets as well as his increased investment in police’s Professional Standards Department to showcase his commit to improving women’s safety. This work coincides with the start of It’s Not Okay week, which launched on Monday (6 February) to raise awareness around rape and sexual abuse as well as […]
Police and Crime Panel supports increase in Council Tax
Festus Akinbusoye, Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Bedfordshire, has welcomed support from the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Panel to increase the police precept for 2023/24 Panel members from Bedford Borough Council, Luton Borough Council, Central Bedfordshire Council, and the independent members voted to increase the precept that helps to fund Bedfordshire Police with seven […]
Drug seizures hit £4.3 million as PCC continues delivery of Police and Crime Plan
Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Festus Akinbusoye has welcomed police figures that show illegal drugs worth at least £4.3 million were taken off the streets of the county last year. New figures from the force show Bedfordshire Police seized almost 23 kilos of cocaine and heroin and 6,500 cannabis plants over the past 12 […]
PCC backs county’s Violence and Exploitation Reduction Unit following successful Home Office visit
Bedfordshire’s specialist unit dedicated to tackling the violence and exploitation of young people showcased its work to the Home Office last week. The county’s partnership Violence and Exploitation Reduction Unit (VERU) hosted dozens of officials at the Hat Factory in Luton on Wednesday (25 January), highlighting work and commissioned projects which have reached thousands of […]
Fresh focus on vetting as force cracks down on culture
Bedfordshire’s Chief Constable Trevor Rodenhurst is putting additional resources into re-vetting officers and staff as part of a crackdown following high-profile cases of police abusing their position. Mr Rodenhurst made the commitment in an open letter to Police and Crime Commissioner Festus Akinbusoye, who had requested an update on vetting after a Met officer admitted […]
New initiatives launch for young people to tackle violence against women and girls
School students across Bedfordshire are being encouraged to put their creative skills into tackling violence against women and girls. The design competition for students across the county is part of a flagship education programme being run by the county’s major Safer Streets project. The programme will see a toolkit and training on tackling sexual harassment […]
Bedfordshire PCC consults with residents about police budget for 2023/24
Police and Crime Commissioner, Festus Akinbusoye, has today released the police precept survey for the financial year 2023/24. The police precept is what Bedfordshire residents pay to help cover the cost of policing, community safety and victim services through their annual council tax bill. The Commissioner said “One of my legal responsibilities as Police and Crime Commissioner, […]
Winner crowned in PCC schools debating contest
Bedford Modern School has been crowned the best school debating team in Bedfordshire after a powerhouse performance at the Houses of Parliament. The students triumphed in the highly competitive contest put together by the county’s police and crime commissioner Festus Akinbusoye. The Bedford school fought off stiff competition from runners-up Sandy Secondary School and Stockwood […]