High levels of trust in Bedfordshire Police but concerns about rising crime, new poll reveals

A new poll commissioned jointly by Bedfordshire Police and Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) John Tizard shows that the majority of residents trust Bedfordshire Police, but many remain deeply concerned about rising crime levels. 

The research, conducted by More in Common, found that 62 per cent of Bedfordshire residents trust Bedfordshire Police, including 13 per cent who said they have a great deal of trust. This places local trust levels above the national average of 60 per cent. 

The report highlights that Bedfordshire Police is seen to perform particularly well in tackling serious violent crime and in treating all members of the community fairly – areas identified as its top two strengths by local people. Most residents also reported feeling safe walking in their town centres during the daytime. 

However, the findings also point to areas where the police and the PCC intend to focus further attention. People who have been victims of crime or who have reported crime were more likely to say the police are doing a poor job, while many residents reported feeling less connected to their local policing teams than they did in previous years. Participants identified this lack of connection as one of the most significant issues within their communities. 

The poll also found that Bedfordshire residents are more concerned about rising crime than people elsewhere in the UK, however they also thought crime levels were rising more outside of the county. The top issues identified locally were knife crime (52 per cent), drug-related offences (41 per cent), and antisocial behaviour (30 per cent). 

Younger residents in Bedfordshire expressed greater trust in the police than older generations, with 71 per cent of 18–24-year-olds saying they trust the police – 11 percentage points higher than the UK average for that age group. However, the research also revealed that younger people, and young men in particular, are less likely to report crimes when they occur. 

The PCC and Bedfordshire Police have pledged to use these findings to inform ongoing work, including community engagement and prevention initiatives. This week, for example, officers are working with students at Luton Sixth Form College as part of their ongoing youth engagement programme. 

Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner John Tizard said: 

"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."  

“I am the 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.   

“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. 

“This polling will strengthen my strategic role of holding the Chief Constable to account for performance and serving the public."  

Chief Constable of Bedfordshire Police, Trevor Rodenhurst 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. 

“It’s reassuring to see strong confidence among young people and recognition that we’re focusing on the right priorities, such as tackling knife crime. These findings also support our Winter Plan of Action, which will see us working even harder to keep people safe—preventing and detecting crimes like robbery, burglary and theft, and increasing our visible presence in town centres after dark." 

The results will feed directly into the PCC’s strategic priorities, including future grants, commissioning, and how the Chief Constable is held to account for public confidence and crime prevention. They will also support Bedfordshire Police’s planning, training, and community engagement strategies. 

The full report can be found here.