Vera Baird DBE KC

Chair Criminal Cases Review Commission. Member Women’s Justice Bd.
Ex Victims’ Commissioner, Solicitor Gen & PCC. Fellow St Hilda’s Oxford. Writer. Labour Party

Category: Police & Crime Commissioner

PCC Vera Baird – delighted Wildlife Crime Unit has been saved from closure
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Vera Baird has expressed delight at news that the UK’s specialist unit for wildlife law enforcement will continue, following a successful national campaign to prevent its closure.
It was feared that The Wildlife Crime Unit, which tackles wildlife crime would be forced to close at the end of March due to Government funds being axed. However, on Tuesday, March 1st, it was announced that four years’ worth of funding has been secured keeping it open until 2020.
Vera Baird, said: “This is a great victory for campaigners. The Government had to be pushed into funding this unit and I am pleased they finally came to their senses, recognising the importance of this vital work in tackling wildlife crime. Unfortunately other areas of the police budget have not been protected in the same way.
“Across Northumbria we are fortunate to have some fantastic wildlife and we need to do all we can to protect it. Without this unit, crimes like badger baiting and the slaughter of wild birds of prey would have been forced to go uninvestigated. We need this unit because its members are specially trained to respond to these crimes and work with our officers to prevent animal cruelty and prosecute the criminals responsible.
“As a country, we need to strengthen our stance against these crimes and I’m pleased the unit will be able to continue its efforts in investigating wildlife crime and working hard to put a stop to it.”
Anyone who sees an incident involving the harming of wildlife or witnesses a crime against wildlife should report it to Northumbria Police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.
March 7, 2016
Protecting our Emergency Services
Northumbria Police and our Fire Services work closely together and have developed great partnership working and I am keen to see this continue.
I don\’t believe that the Fire Service should come under the control of Police & Crime Commissioners, but I do believe the government has a duty to ensure all of our emergency services are properly funded.
The article in the Chronicle shows how our region is losing out – I will continue to work with Councillors, MPs and partners to ensure the North East\’s voice is heard loud and clear.
February 17, 2016
North East PCCs call for debate to reduce alcohol consumption.
A major conference in Durham today has called for changes in the licensing laws for alcohol. The key outcomes of the conference are expected to form the basis of a debate in Parliament.
Over one hundred people from decision-making bodies met with the North East’s three Police and Crime Commissioners at the Durham Centre in Belmont to hear about the consequences of excessive alcohol consumption, and to share ideas about how consumption might be reduced. As well as the Police and Crime Commissioners, speakers at the event included:
– Jon Foster, Senior Research and Policy Officer, Institute of Alcohol Studies
– Professor Dorothy Newbury Birch, Professor of Alcohol and Public Health Research, Teesside University
– Colin Shevills, Director of Balance
Ron Hogg, Police and Crime Commissioner for County Durham and Darlington, said “There has been a 57% increase in alcohol-related deaths since 1994. As well as the tragic consequences for the families concerned, this means that resources are being used by the emergency services which could be better committed elsewhere.”
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Vera Baird, said “It’s vital that we work together to reduce the cost to society of alcohol related harm by changing attitudes, deterring offenders and tackling irresponsible supply.
“Many residents are calling for a lower drink drive limit, which in Scotland has led to a 17% reduction in drink-drive offences. I give my full support to this and, along with my fellow PCCs in the region, will continue campaigning for its implementation.”
Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland, Barry Coppinger, said “Our hardworking emergency services are all too aware of the long term effects of excessive drinking and the impact on their resources and our communities. This debate is long overdue and I firmly believe that our experts in the North East have a valid and relevant story to tell in helping to inform this debate.”
I believe that a minimum unit price for alcohol would serve to reduce consumption and improve community safety.’
The three PCCs are working with local MPs to secure a debate in Parliament, to review the licensing laws.
February 17, 2016
PCC Vera Baird says In Northumbria sex abuse complainants will be believed as all other complainants are
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Vera Baird, is in complete disagreement with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan Howe who has suggested that police should not believe sex abuse complainants, in contrast to the way every other complainant is dealt with.
He has said: \”There is a grave danger at the moment with the advice that is around that there is a tendency to always believe any complaint that is made and that\’s not wise for any good investigator.\”
Vera Baird said: “The Met Commissioner has been criticised for the investigations into two peers whose names were published at an early stage before there can have been evidence to justify a charge, because no charges were ever brought. The key problem was the irresponsible, presumably glory-seeking, publication of their names, not that complaints should not be believed in sexual abuse cases in the same way that a burglary victim is believed and their complaint investigated.
“Thousands of victims of sexual abuse have been denied justice through the attitude the Met Commissioner now advocates. Sexual abuse is extremely difficult to report, because of its intimate nature and its undermining impact on victims. They have to be told that police will not doubt them as they have habitually done in the past but will believe them as they do in any other kind of complaint, ensure that they get support and investigate the case thoroughly.
\”In Northumbria we have been judged highly for our investigation of sexual exploitation and domestic abuse. We intend to continue to rely on what complainants say and to give them support. We will investigate thoroughly, not rushing to publicise inappropriately, simply doing a thorough policing job to determine whether a case should go forward to the CPS. We encourage any person who is suffering from any kind of crime to come forward to report it and they will get help.”
February 11, 2016
David Cameron a man of many words and little action
David Cameron has today said that prison reform has been a “scandalous failure” for years and has pledged to make it the “great progressive cause” of politics. Ironically, the Prime Minister has expressed the same concerns nearly a decade ago when in 2007 he said that prison reform was one of the key planks of his “central mission”.
Northumbria’s Police & Crime Commissioner, Vera Baird QC said “I’m very sceptical about what David Cameron has to say on prison reforn, he tends to re-hash his words every year and then deliver nothing. The failures that he condemns are his own – since the Tories entered Downing Street in 2010 we have seen over stretched prison staff dealing with violence and overcrowding”.
We have seen these problems first hand in our region. Last year, HMP Northumberland was branded “shambolic” by campaign group the Howard League for Penal Reform, has seen massive staffing cuts and prison officers have raised concerns about safety over staff levels and growing unrest among inmates. Staff levels dropped from 441 in 2010 to 270 in 2013.
The former Chief Inspector for Prisons in England and Wales, Nick Hardwick, has told Cameron and his government that action needs to be taken. Hardwick made it clear to ministers that a 69% rise in self-inflicted deaths in jails is unacceptable in a civilised society and he warned that the public were being put at risk by a “political and policy failure in jails”.
Since Hardwick took up his post in 2010, he has published a series of increasingly damning reports documenting the depth of the growing crisis inside jails in England and Wales. His reports have also highlighted the growing toll of prison suicides and a rising tide of violence behind bars.
Vera Baird said “I commend Nick Hardwick for the issues he has raised over the years, if it had not been for his leadership things would be a lot worse than they already are. There is no getting away from it, David Cameron should hang his head in shame. Despite his promises, Cameron hasn’t tackled the drug abuse in prisons, he hasn’t tackled the problems that privatisation of prisons has caused and he hasn’t tackled the violence, squalor and idleness that the Chief Inspector of prisons referred to in his Annual Report 2014-15”.
Mrs Baird added “Nick Hardwick has tried his best to convince the government to take action, it’s a pity his findings fell on deaf ears. Now is the time for Cameron and Gove to buck up and get this problem sorted. Labour has long called for governors of successful prisons to be given greater autonomy and for prisons to become more rehabilitative – something the government is now suggesting, but given Cameron’s failures since 2007, I’m not confident that he will succeed”.
February 8, 2016
Keeping cops on the beat.
The Police and Crime Panel for Northumbria have unanimously approved the Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner’s proposed increase to the police precept (the police element of the council tax) of 10p per week for a band D property. The Chief Constable confirms that this figure which is £5 per year will enable him to retain 100 officers over the spending review period of four years.
Following public consultation, which was mainly complimentary about the police and supportive of the rise, Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Vera Baird QC, said:
“Despite Chancellor Osborne saying that he was not cutting funding to police, the only way in which that is true is if every PCC in the country raises their precept by the maximum amount possible. The Government is telling the ten police forces with the lowest police precept to increase by the sum of £5 per band D house per year and Northumbria is one of those forces.
“The Chief Constable and I are determined to keep officers on the street and preserve high standards of policing, and as your Commissioner, I’m left with no choice but to raise the precept to ensure the police have the resources to cut crime and continue delivering excellent neighbourhood policing for the people of Northumbria.
“Northumbria has the lowest police precept in the country at £88.33. The National Audit Office agrees with me that we have suffered the worst cuts out of all 43 forces in England and Wales. Since 2009 we have lost almost 900 police officers and hundreds of staff due to those Government cuts. We will still have to lose more because there are still cuts, albeit some of them are hidden and labelled ‘top-slicing’.
“The figure of £2.05m which will be raised by increasing the precept by 10p a week, £5 a year, will not replace those funding cuts but our funding will be significantly less without it and the Chief Constable tells me that 100 more officers would have to go if I do not make this increase.
“This money will be invested to benefit the communities served by Northumbria Police, keeping 100 officers on the streets and helping to preserve high policing standards and the force’s national reputation for victim satisfaction.
“The Chancellor did not consult either me or the public before dictating this course of action but we have asked the public for their views and I am pleased to say that most responses accepted the need to keep officers on the beat and expressed the view that 10p a week is a very small increase to pay for that security.”
Councillor Gary Haley, Chair of the Northumbria Police and Crime Panel, said: “Local residents have made it very clear that they want to keep officers on the streets and the clear steer from Government has been that the local residents should pick up the tab for their withdrawal of funding. At a time of swingeing cuts from the Government who have been using an out of date funding formula, the Commissioner has been left with no choice but to raise the precept in order to protect police numbers and help keep our local communities safe.”
February 5, 2016
Vera Baird urges Home Secretary to take action.
Following news that American blogger Daryush Valizadeh known as Roosh V has organised rallies in various cities across the world this weekend, including Newcastle, Northumbria’s Police & Crime Commissioner, Vera Baird QC, has written to the Home Secretary, Theresa May, urging her to ban Roosh V from entering the United Kingdom.
Valizadeh is urging people who share his extreme anti-female views, which include that rape on private property should be legal and that women should not be able to vote, to meet in Newcastle on Saturday.
Vera Baird said “Valizadeh views are abhorrent and not something that we want in Newcastle. He has produced videos described as ‘ thinly veiled guides to rape’ by those who have seen them. He needs to receive a loud and clear message that he is not speaking for Newcastle and that the police will arrest and prosecute any actions or words amounting to incitement or encouragement to sexual assault or which might be hate crime”
Mrs Baird added “The Home Secretary can ban people from entering the United Kingdom, a number of people who have fostered hatred have been banned from our country. The UK Border Agency can turn someone away if they feel a persons “character, conduct or associations” would not be “conducive to the public good”, Valizadeh clearly fits this criteria – so if he is thinking of coming to the United Kingdom this weekend, the Home Secretary and UK Border Agency have grounds to refuse him entry”.
A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: “We want to reassure residents in Newcastle after media coverage has appeared in recent days in relation to the ‘Return of the Kings event’ that is proposed to take place in the city on Saturday night. Our view, along with every other reasonable person, is that everything this group stands for is abhorrent and there is no place for it in our city.
“We will have extra officers on patrol in the area around Greys Monument on Saturday evening to reassure members of the public and monitor what, if any, activity takes place. We will deal with any incidents swiftly and will not tolerate any acts that incite or encourage individuals to commit criminal offences. Newcastle is a safe, diverse and welcoming city and we will not allow the actions of a very small minority to jeopardise this.”
February 2, 2016
WINNER – Living Wage Leadership Award 2015
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Vera Baird, has been chosen as the winner of the Living Wage Leadership Award 2015 for the North East region.
The Living Wage Foundation organise these awards to recognise the life changing impact individuals have made by leading the way on the Living Wage Campaign within communities.
The awards are part of Living Wage Week 2015, a national celebration of responsible pay for everybody, running from 1st – 7th November.
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Vera Baird, said: “In the current economic climate it is imperative that we do everything we can to help lower paid workers as they face rising living costs. That is why I made it one of my commitments when elected to ensure we pay the Living Wage and we achieved this by bringing the cleaning contract back “in house” so we could pay them the Living Wage.
“I have always been a strong advocate of the Living Wage and will continue to be, I’m proud to be a champion of this initiative and I am delighted to receive this award.”
The Living Wage Foundation wants to celebrate the huge and diverse group of people who support the Living Wage Campaign.
Beth Farhat, Regional Secretary for the Northern TUC said: “Congratulations to Vera and well deserved too, one of Vera’s first commitments as police and crime commissioner was make sure that the lowest paid in her workforce received the living wage, making a real difference to the quality and wellbeing of peoples lives. Thank you very much for championing the Living Wage.”
Living Wage Foundation Acting Director, Sarah Vero, said: “Congratulations to Vera on being named the Leadership Award winner for the North East region. The voices of people are at the heart of our organisation, and it is wonderful to have Vera leading the way in her region. We want to celebrate the individuals making a real difference to families and communities across the UK. Thank you very much for celebrating the Living Wage.”
The Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently and updated annually. The Living Wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living using the ‘Minimum Income Standard’ for the UK. Decisions about what to include in this standard are set by the public; it is a social consensus about what people need to make ends meet.
Vera Baird QC – Living Wage Leadership Award Winner 2015.
Employers choose to pay the Living Wage on a voluntary basis. The Living Wage enjoys cross party support.
One Leadership Award winner has been named in each region of the UK: Scotland; Wales; Northern Ireland; the East Midlands; the West Midlands; the East of England; Yorkshire and the Humber; North East England; North West England; South East England; South West England; and London.
The awards judged by an independent panel of community leaders from Citizens UK, national community organising charity and home of the Living Wage campaign.
November 2, 2015
‘Surrender your Knife’
Three regional Forces are joining together to raise awareness of the dangers of knife-related crime and ensure we all stay safe.
Northumbria, Cleveland, and Durham Police are working with the ‘Surrender a knife’ organisation to encourage the surrender of knives which may otherwise be used in crime throughout the next two weeks.
The British Ironwork Centre is also supporting the campaign by providing secure knife bins across the country which can be used by anyone to deposit knives or other bladed/pointed weapons.
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Vera Baird, said: “While we are fortunate that we don’t have the same knife problem here in Northumbria as in some areas of the country; one knife carried is one knife too many.
“That’s why we’re coming together as a region to support this national campaign and demonstrate our commitment to public safety.
“In the wrong hands a knife can be a deadly weapon and this initiative will let people who want to dispose of a knife do so safely.
“It’s great to be joining up with my fellow commissioners to take a proactive approach to keep knives off our streets and our region safe.”
Detective Chief Inspector Helena Barron understands there isn’t a knife crime culture or issue within Northumbria but believes raising awareness is critical to keeping knife crime to a minimum.
DCI Barron said: “We continue to use a combination of education, prevention and enforcement to ensure that knife crime in the force remains low.
“As well as taking tough enforcement action we’re carrying out reassurance work in the community. We will continue to visit schools, retailers and other partners to educate people about knife crime and, over the next few weeks, we will be taking the opportunity to highlight some of this valuable work.
“I’d like to reiterate that we don’t have the same scale of problem as other parts of the country, but we know there are public concerns and this initiative is primarily about addressing those concerns.
“People who carry knives are just as much at risk of harming themselves as well as others, and they are also at risk of being arrested, charged to court, and possibly sent to prison.
“As part of the campaign we will be providing disposal bins in stations for members of the public to come along and voluntarily dispose of any knives they may be in possession of.”
There will be bins allocated to the following police stations in Northumbria:
Central
Forth Banks
Gateshead
Northern
Middle Engine Lane
Hexham
Bedlington
Southern
Millbank
Southwick
Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland, Barry Coppinger said: “We are proud to support this national initiative which will help to raise awareness about the damage and destruction that knives can cause. Over the next two weeks members of the public will have the opportunity to surrender knives safely and anonymously. Removing knives from our streets will help protect our communities and provide a safer environment for the whole area.
Ron Hogg, Durham’s Police and Crime Commissioner, is supporting the amnesty. He said: “This is an ideal opportunity for residents who have unwanted knives in their household, to dispose of them in a safe and responsible way. I encourage residents to use the knife bins during the amnesty, available at various police stations across County Durham and Darlington.”
October 23, 2015
Challenges Facing Policing.
When the House of Commons returns, one of the first jobs MPs will have to do is to respond to George Osborne’s proposed cuts of up to 40% to government departments. If the Home Office is faced with a 40% cut to its budget, it will have devastating effects on how we police Northumbria. Be under no illusion, the decisions taken by the Chancellor will impact on how we police. Since 2010, the Tories have removed nearly £120 million from the Police budget, this has resulted in 16% fewer police officers than in 2010 and 25% less police staff.
Policing is more than just catching criminals – Theresa May seems to think because crime is falling, it is perfectly acceptable to cut police budgets. WRONG! Here in our region, on a typical day officers deal with over 200 Anti-Social Behaviour incidences and 81 cases of domestic abuse, police officers are call to respond to approximately 26 incidences involving people with mental health issues, 40 road traffic collisions, helping find over 20 missing people and dealing with over 42 stop and searches. All of these examples are more than catching criminals – they are jobs that our police staff do day in day out, sadly the Home Office don’t appreciate these important tasks and continue to focus on one part of the many duties of a police officer.
There are nearly 1.5 million residents in the Northumbria force area. I work closely with the Chief Constable, Steve Ashman, to ensure we get it right. Despite the financial difficulties, police officers and staff continue to go the extra mile to serve local communities. There efforts are recognised by residents as overall satisfaction remains high, and the force is placed first nationally for ease of contact (98.8%), follow up (88.8%) and over service is (92.2%). If we get it wrong, we now have a dedicated triage team who can help deal with any issues that are raised within a matter of a few hours. We really do keep the public at the heart of everything we do.
The priorities in the Police & Crime Plan are just as important now, as they were when you helped shaped them at the beginning of 2013. Northumbria Police have worked hard to address them. HMIC acknowledged that how Northumbria Police deal with Anti-Social Behaviour is outstanding. The force works closely with partners to tackle issues head on and ensure that all vulnerable victims receive extra support. Initiatives such as working in partnership with housing providers to tackle youth ASB has paid dividends. Anti-Social Behaviour remains high on our agenda and will continue to do so. I want all crimes to be reported, if you are experiencing Anti-Social Behaviour – REPORT IT. If the police know about it, they will tackle it.
Our work in addressing Violence Against Women and Girls continues to go from strength to strength. Domestic and sexual abuse happens mostly behind closed doors meaning that it is something of a hidden crime. Therefore it’s vitally important to raise awareness of what domestic abuse is, what help and support is available for those suffering from it, and making it easier for victims to contact someone to get help. We are delivering this with partners and will continue to do so.
Due to financial pressures on the force, I have had to look at ensuring our police bases offer excellent value for money, whilst being in convenient locations and accessible. The new police base in the White Swan Centre, Killingworth, is an excellent example of this. We have brought the police to the heart of the community and the neighbourhood teams maintain the excellent relationships they have built up with residents. I continue to look for savings right across the board, you may have seen a recent report by the Taxpayers Alliance, that my office has made the biggest cost savings (compared to the cost of the former police authority) out of all Police & Crime Commissioners – to date, in excess of £3 million has been saved, just from my office costs alone.
I can assure you that I will continue to work with all partners to ensure Northumbria receives the best deal possible. It’s a tough challenge – but I’m determined that the priorities you set in the police and crime plan are delivered and exceeded.
September 23, 2015