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Welcome to the latest edition of my bulletin that highlights some of the activities that I have been involved in over the last month. March begun on an eventful note with my annual St David’s day conference taking place at Police Headquarter, with the focus this year on Anti-Social Behaviour.

The Conference was an opportunity to highlight some of the innovative multi-agency partnership work that is taking place within our area. I am grateful to all the guest speakers for their contribution, and I look forward to continue discussions in the future, to ensure we provide necessary support for our victims and safeguard our communities. You can look back at the Conference by clicking the video link below.

Other highlights for the month included community engagement days in Carmarthenshire which you can read about below. I also had the opportunity to see the Glasgow Overdose Prevention Service Van during it’s tour of the Country, where I had the opportunity to have a look at a unique harm reduction intervention example and to talk to experts regarding overdose prevention service.

The month ended with a live broadcast on social media between myself and new Chief Constable Dr Richard Lewis, where we discussed our vision, priorities and the challenges we face here in Dyfed-Powys.

Thank you once again for taking time to read my bulletin. Please feel free to share wider, and if you have any questions, you are welcome to contact my Office here.

Diolch yn fawr,

Dafydd Llywelyn

Police and Crime Commissioner

Carmarthenshire Police Station being utilised as Hub for food bank and community projects

On Wednesday 9th of March 2022, I hosted a Community Engagement Day based in Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire. I visited the old police station in Kidwelly which has been converted to a hub for the community’s local food bank and community projects.

I was so pleased to see how the old Police Station has been transformed, and to see first-hand that it has developed into a vital hub for the local community, with its food bank and community projects proving to have such a positive impact on the lives of local people.

Later on in the day, I visited the John Burns Foundation in Kidwelly, to learn more on the community programmes they run that aim to make a difference to the lives of local people.

Meeting with Overdose prevention team

On 14 March 2022, the Glasgow Overdose Prevention Service Van visited Dyfed-Powys Police Headquarters as part of its tour around the country.

The service van was set up in Glasgow in 2020, as a response to the growing overdose issue and HIV rates among people who inject drugs, in the city. In the 12 months it operated, the van facilitated over 1,000 injecting episodes, reversed multiple overdoses and subsequently saved many lives.

In partnership with Transform Drug Policy Foundation, Anyone’s Child, and Barod, the team came to HQ in order to show the facility, and discuss how such a harm reduction intervention operates with myself.

The visit allowed us the opportunity to have a look at a unique harm reduction intervention example and to talk to experts regarding overdose prevention services.

Further protection for vulnerable people in police custody

Earlier in March, I was pleased to announce that my Independent Custody Visiting Scheme will be leading on an Anti-Harm Suit pilot scheme between Dyfed-Powys Police and the Independent Custody Visiting Association (ICVA).

Anti-rip clothing or anti-harm suits are clothing that are used in many custody suites across the UK. The material of the clothing is made to prevent detainees being able to rip the material and make ligatures.

The Pilot will see ICVs independently reviewing the custody records of individuals within Dyfed-Powys custody suites who have been issued with an anti-harm suit, looking particularly at whether the suits are being issued appropriately or not, are being removed as soon as possible, and that sufficient rationale for their use has been recorded within individuals Custody logs.

Commissioner in Conversation Live Broadcast on Social Media with Chief Constable

On Thursday 31 March 2022, I hosted a live ‘Commissioner in Conversation’ broadcast on social media with Dyfed-Powys Police’s new Chief Constable, Dr. Richard Lewis.

Dr Richard Lewis has a fantastic track record of fighting crime and managing community policing. His vast experience and understanding of policing as well as his knowledge of the Dyfed-Powys area puts him in a good place to support the priorities in my Police and Crime Plan.

Thankfully, we overcame some of the technical problems at the start of the broadcast and had an open and interesting discussion about the current challenges and opportunities for Dyfed Powys Police, as well as what we want to achieve within our roles, and tool some questions from viewers. You can look back at the broadcast by clicking on the below video link.