A busy and thought provoking week

My blog reflects on just one of the many meetings I have had this week and a chance we all have to learn from the past, empathise with others and help build a better future.

This has been a busy and thought-provoking week.

I continue to meet regularly with BCP Council on a variety of issues, however this week I got to discuss policing and summer planning with the Leader of BCP Council, the Chief Executive, the portfolio holder for Community Safety and Regulatory Services and the Local Area Commander for BCP amongst others.

Our shared intention is to ensure that we build on what went well last Summer and put in place a shared strategic and tactical response to dealing with the increased pressure that Summer brings.

Last year saw the introduction a range of important operations and campaigns, in particular Op Relentless and Op Vigilant. Many people will know that tackling ASB and fighting crime and high harm are two of the main priorities that feature in my Police and Crime Plan and I can reassure residents and visitors alike that I will continue to work with our partners from both local authorities and alongside the Chief Constable to ensure that they remain a priority.

This week also sees the commemoration events of Holocaust Memorial Day. This year people are being asked to take part in the Light the Darkness ceremony, where households across the UK will be lighting candles and safely putting them in their windows to remember those who were murdered for who they were and to stand against prejudice and hatred today.

Holocaust Memorial Day sets out to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust and victims of genocide across the world. It is abhorrent to think that millions of people can be murdered simply for having a different way of life, for having a different race or religion.

I realised this on a trip to Cologne and a visit to the Gestapo Museum which is still in the old headquarters building. There was a very emotive exhibition relating to the Holocaust and highlighted those would have been moved to the camps from the city. In addition to the Jews, The Roma people, those with disabilities and those from the BAME and the LGBTQ communities, the Gestapo and SS would send anyone they just had an ‘issue’ with to the camps. Every time you think civilisation has moved on, we find that people are being measured in ways that should be extinct.

I will be taking part in the Light the Darkness event this evening and working hard to ensure that I do everything I can, to be aware of and to tackle discrimination, racism and hatred whenever and wherever I see it.

I want Dorset to be the safest county for all of us.

 

David Sidwick

Police and Crime Commissioner