Response Policing Week: recognising a fundamental duty of policing

Response Policing Week provides an opportunity both to recognise the contribution of patrol officers and to reaffirm the ongoing commitment to improving response services for victims and communities.

Responding to the public policing is a core police function of the police which which the public rightly relies on. When you dial 999 you expect the police to attend in a timely fashion. You expect to be treated with respect and for a professional response.

Every day, Bedfordshire Police patrol officers attend hundreds of incidents which may involve serious violence, domestic abuse, road traffic collisions and immediate risk to life. They work in unpredictable and often dangerous circumstances, making critical decisions under pressure while protecting victims and reassuring the public. This is demanding and essential work and happens every hour of every day. 

In Bedfordshire, response officers perform this role with professionalism, commitment, and resilience. Their work forms the foundation of effective policing and public confidence. 

On Tuesday, I joined a patrol in Luton. I met officers and spent time in a patrol car observing the varied and vital work undertaken by patrol teams.

I would like to thank patrol officers in Bedfordshire for their contribution to keeping our county safe.