How to restore Britons’ confidence in the police

“Hello policenptnpt!” shouted a toddler as James and Jordan strolled through Horsham, a market town in south-east England. Next they were hailed by a man with learning disabilities who wanted a “Sussex Police” pen: “I’ve been very good!” Then a woman ran out of Waterstones, a bookshop, to tell them someone had shoplifted a pile of books. “Don’t think she would have bothered to report that if she hadn’t seen us walk past,” said Jordan, as he went into the shop to take a statement.It seemed unlikely that the shoplifter would be caught. Like many places in Britain, the town has seen a rise in , petty incidents of which are rarely prosecuted. But catching criminals is not the chief purpose of neighbourhood policing teams (s), small teams of officers who concentrate on specific geographical areas. Across England and Wales s are stepping up local foot patrols and making sure residents know their names and faces in a push to restore public confidence. That confidence has declined dramatically.