Why policing leadership should matter to North East businesses

For businesses to invest, expand and recruit, they must operate in an environment that is stable, secure and predictable. 

When crime rises, costs rise. When safety improves, confidence grows.

As Police and Crime Commissioner for County Durham and Darlington, I see every day how closely public safety and economic performance are connected.

Crime affects productivity, insurance premiums, workforce wellbeing, recruitment and investor confidence. A region that feels safe attracts talent. A region that feels unstable struggles to compete, so public safety is not simply a policing issue. It is an economic foundation.

Crime affecting business has evolved significantly over the past decade. While retail theft and anti-social behaviour remain visible concerns, fraud and cyber-enabled crime now present some of the most serious and rapidly growing threats.

Phishing emails, invoice diversion scams, ransomware attacks and organised online fraud networks operate at scale and with increasing sophistication. Many are international in nature, making them complex to investigate and disrupt.

Small and medium-sized enterprises are particularly vulnerable. Many do not have dedicated cyber security teams yet hold sensitive data, payroll systems and financial information.

One breach can destabilise an otherwise healthy business, so digital resilience is now as important as physical security.

Under my Safer People, Safer Places priority, we are strengthening intelligence sharing, improving prevention activity and supporting businesses to better protect themselves against cyber-enabled fraud. Through my role on the North East Business Resilience Board, I work alongside partners across the region to enhance preparedness against cyber threats, organised criminality and economic disruption. Resilience is not solely a policing function. It is a partnership between business, public services and infrastructure providers – a resilient region is a competitive region.

Retail crime and town centre confidence

Retail crime and violence against shopworkers undermine more than balance sheets. They erode morale, damage recruitment and deter long-term investment. No one should feel unsafe going to work.

Through my Police, Crime and Justice Plan, we are delivering the National Police Chiefs’ Council Retail Crime Action Plan. We are strengthening Business Watch schemes, funding hotspot patrols and targeting organised retail crime networks through intelligence-led enforcement.

We are also supporting partnership approaches that bring together police, local authorities and businesses to address the root causes of crime and anti-social behaviour, particularly where drug and alcohol misuse contribute to disorder. This work combines enforcement with prevention. It restores confidence so businesses can grow, invest and recruit.

Rural enterprise and the countryside economy

County Durham and Darlington’s rural economy plays a vital role in regional prosperity. Farming, food production, equine enterprises and countryside tourism form a significant part of our economic landscape.

Rural businesses face targeted criminal threats including machinery theft, livestock attacks, fuel theft, metal theft and fly-tipping. These offences are not low-level crimes. They are organised, deliberate and economically damaging.

Under my Safer Countryside priority, I have invested in Automatic Number Plate Recognition capability, GPS tracking technology, drone support and strengthened cross-border intelligence sharing. We work closely with the National Farmers’ Union and rural business networks to ensure targeted enforcement and prevention.

Protecting rural enterprise protects jobs, supply chains and long-term sustainability.

Safer roads, fleet risk and employer responsibility

Road safety is often viewed solely as a public health issue. It is also a business issue. Under Vision Zero – Every Day Without a Road Death, we are tackling drink and drug driving, speeding, mobile phone use and repeat offending through both enforcement and prevention. Collisions carry significant economic consequences, including lost productivity, insurance increases, legal costs and reputational harm. I believe safer driving is a leadership issue, not just a compliance requirement.

Employers play a critical role through fleet safety standards, driver training and robust workplace substance policies. Embedding a responsible driving culture reduces risk, protects employees and strengthens organisational reputation. Safer roads benefit families, communities and businesses alike.

Corporate responsibility and shared prevention

Policing alone cannot reduce economic risk. Businesses are powerful partners in prevention.

Through my Police, Crime and Justice Plan priorities, I encourage organisations to:

• Participate in Business Watch and intelligence sharing

• Strengthen cyber security practices

• Implement robust workplace drug and alcohol policies

• Invest in safe-by-design environments

• Support early intervention and youth diversion programmes

When businesses invest in prevention, training and partnership, they reduce risk and build stronger communities.

Reducing reoffending: From crime to contribution

One of the most effective ways to strengthen economic resilience is to reduce reoffending.

Too many individuals leave custody or community sentences without employment or opportunity. Without stability, the cycle continues and long-term costs increase for both society and business. Employment is one of the most powerful tools to reduce reoffending. Through partnership with employers, colleges and training providers, we are strengthening rehabilitation pathways and supporting skills development aligned to labour market needs. Encouraging businesses to offer second-chance employment is not simply a social good. It strengthens the workforce and reduces future harm.

My roles as a school governor and college board member reinforce the connection between education, early intervention and workforce development. When individuals move from offending to earning, communities become safer and businesses gain committed workers.

Financial leadership and national influence

Alongside my local responsibilities, I serve as chair of BlueLight Commercial and as the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners joint lead for Police Finance and the Funding Formula.

As chair of BlueLight Commercial, I oversee collaborative procurement across policing nationally, delivering efficiencies and strengthening social value through collective buying power. Smarter contracts mean better value for taxpayers and savings that are reinvested into frontline policing and victim services locally.

As APCC joint lead for Police Finance, Funding Formula and the Comprehensive Spending Review, I am directly involved in shaping national funding decisions. Fair funding is essential to ensure areas such as County Durham and Darlington are not disadvantaged by formulas that fail to reflect rurality, deprivation and complex demand.

Efficiency and effectiveness must work together. Financial credibility underpins public confidence. Our region is not a spectator in national reform. We are helping shape it.

A safer region is a more competitive region

Fraud, cyber risk, retail crime, rural theft, road harm and reoffending are interconnected pressures that influence economic confidence.

Safety drives stability. Stability drives investment. Investment drives growth, meaning that safe streets support strong balance sheets. Through strategic leadership, rigorous scrutiny and national influence, I am committed to ensuring that County Durham and Darlington remains safe, resilient and open for opportunity.

Sustainable growth requires partnership between policing, business, education and community leaders. Our region has the talent and ambition to succeed. My commitment is to ensure it has the stability and confidence to compete.

A safer region is not only a stronger region. Preventing, detecting and deterring crime delivers safer, stronger and more resilient communities where local businesses thrive.

With a determination to see that such pivotal goals are achieved for our region, I am proud to be joining The Northern Echo Impact campaign to champion the voices of people across County Durham and Darlington and to ensure the issues that matter most are firmly in the spotlight.

I stood to be Police and Crime Commissioner because I care deeply about safety, fairness and opportunity in the communities where I have lived and worked for many years. This role is personal to me. I want every resident, regardless of postcode, to feel safe, supported and heard.

Joining this campaign reflects my commitment to visibility, accessibility and accountability. It is about listening to residents, acting on their feedback and ensuring local people shape the future of community safety.

The Impact campaign is about meaningful change. It celebrates the strengths of our region while being honest about the challenges we face.

We should never talk down County Durham and Darlington. But we must also never shy away from reality. Policing relies on trust, partnership and clear communication. Too often, the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner is not fully understood. My responsibility is to set policing priorities, hold the Chief Constable to account, commission support services for victims and ensure public money is spent effectively and transparently.

I am here to challenge, scrutinise and deliver.

Through focused neighbourhood policing and strong partnership working, we have delivered continued reductions in key crime types while targeting the issues residents tell us matter most.

93.1% of 999 calls are now answered within ten seconds, ensuring people receive rapid assistance in emergencies. Targeted hotspot patrols funded through one million pounds of Home Office support secured additional patrol hours between April and December 2025. This proactive policing resulted in 174 arrests, 66 stop and searches, eight weapons seized, 44 vehicles seized, 226 informal warnings, 138 Public Space Protection Order enforcement actions and 149 fixed penalty notices.

This is visible policing that makes a difference.

Alongside enforcement, I have invested in practical measures including enhanced CCTV coverage in Darlington and Durham City, mobile Safer Pods following a pilot that significantly reduced shoplifting and anti-social behaviour, and specialist trauma-informed support for women facing complex challenges. These are evidence-led investments designed to reduce harm, protect businesses and ensure victims receive first-class support.

County Durham and Darlington are resilient and proud communities. We have strong businesses, committed volunteers and enormous potential. However, we also face economic pressures and inequality. Funding constraints continue to challenge public services. Demand on policing has grown more complex, including online exploitation, organised drug networks and vulnerability linked to mental health and poverty.

One of the biggest structural challenges is an outdated national funding formula that does not fully reflect the scale of demand in our region. I will continue to fight for fair funding and ensure our voice is heard clearly in Westminster.

Despite these pressures, Durham Constabulary remains one of the highest performing forces in the country, recognised for strong results and high public confidence.

More than 1,400 residents helped shape my Police, Crime and Justice Plan. Their priorities were clear: visible neighbourhood policing, tougher action on drug and alcohol-related crime and a relentless focus on anti-social behaviour.

Prevention remains central. I have invested in diversionary activity for young people at risk of exploitation, funded community-based interventions to tackle anti-social behaviour hotspots and supported early intervention programmes.

Partnership will remain key. Policing alone cannot solve complex social challenges. That means working closely with health services, education providers, local authorities and businesses.

Alongside my local role, I represent the North East nationally as APCC joint lead for the Funding Formula, Comprehensive Spending Review and Grants; APCC joint lead for Roads Policing and Transport; APCC joint lead for Addictions and Substance Misuse; and chair of BlueLight Commercial.

These roles ensure our region has a seat at the table when national decisions are made. They allow me to press for fairer funding, influence road safety strategy and strengthen work tackling addiction and substance misuse, one of the key drivers of crime locally.

Through BlueLight Commercial, we secure better value for money through collective buying power, delivering savings that are reinvested into frontline policing and victim services.

National influence matters because it ensures County Durham and Darlington are not overlooked.

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Your Voice Matters

Throughout 2026, engagement will remain a priority. I will continue to be visible in town centres, at community meetings and at public events across the region. If you have views about policing or community safety, contact my office or speak to my team at one of our engagement stands.

I will continue to stand up for County Durham and Darlington, fight for fair funding, influence national decision-making and work to ensure our communities are safe, supported and proud of their police service. A safer region is a stronger region. And together, we will ensure our communities remain resilient, confident and open for opportunity.