Working together for a safer and stronger community. With Sue Mountstevens

Welcome to my first column for Word Gets Around. For those of you who are not familiar with my role, I’m Sue Mountstevens and I am your elected Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Avon and Somerset. My role includes being your voice in policing, being the bridge between local people and the police and ensuring the Chief Constable and his team are doing everything they can to keep you safe. My work also includes setting the police budget and helping improve the criminal justice system to support victims of crime.

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​As your PCC, I will continue to strengthen communities and ensure we are working together to make Avon and Somerset an even safer place to live. Only by listening to you can I be your voice in policing and it is important that local people know that they can influence how their police service works. I want to use this column as an opportunity to keep you up to date with what Avon and Somerset Constabulary and I are doing to keep you and your communities safe.

With a new year comes the opportunity to reflect, take stock of the last 365 days and plan for the year ahead. I want to challenge you do try something different this year by volunteering for your local policing service. You could become an Appropriate Adult, an Independent Custody Visitor or a Special Constable to name a few volunteering roles.

Volunteering can be incredibly rewarding, the chance to try something different and an opportunity to meet new people. To find out more, visit the PCC’s and Constabulary’s websites.
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Sue Mountstevens - Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Avon and Somerset.

I recently spoke to PC Sam Donati about the issues that are affecting local people in West Somerset.

In recent months there has been a rise in the number of different scams targeting vulnerable people. These scams include courier fraud, email based scams, door-to-door sellers and travelling tradesmen. Fraud is an ever-evolving crime and fraudsters are finding new ways to target victims. While the types of offences change as technology advance, the devastating impact on victims does not.

If you suspect someone is after your money, take a moment to pause and think before you share any information or respond to any text, email of phone call asking for persona details If you are unlucky enough to be the victim of fraud or a scam, please report your experience to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or speak to your local Neighbourhood Policing Team.

​If you wish to contact the PCC, please email pcc@avonandsomerset.pnn.police.uk, phone 01278 646188 or write to the following address: Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner, Police Headquarters, Valley Road, Portishead, BS20 8JJ.