INCREASING public confidence in the police is one of his biggest challenges, Croydon's top police officer has said this week.
Chief superintendent Andy Tarrant set out his stall when he addressed a meeting of Croydon Council's cabinet on Monday.
Chief Superintendent Tarrant said there was "a good news story" about reducing crime in Croydon, with figures showing significant drops house breaking and thefts of and from motor vehicles.
But he said: "The biggest challenge is really around translating that into confidence so that people feel more safe in the borough.
Chief Supt Tarrant said he aim was "policing for the public with the public" and that would be helped if people had confidence in what the police were doing.
He believed public confidence would be enhanced by people knowing they would get fair treatment from the police.
He was, he said, planning to take a fresh look at police tactics practised in the borough, including the use of stop and search powers.
Chief Supt Tarrant said: "There is a real opportunity to look forward and not back and I would hope that people feeling safer would support the regeneration efforts of the borough.
"The feelgood factor in communities is really important."
