Commissioner Clive Grunshaw - October 2025

Welcome to the October edition of my stakeholder briefing, sharing the latest updates on crime and policing across Lancashire.

Firstly, I want to thank all women and girls who took the time to respond to my recent survey and openly shared their fears and concerns. We are listening and taking action.

Nearly 5,000 women and girls took part in the consultation, with 93% reporting that they modify their daily behaviour to avoid danger, and 78% stating that they have felt unsafe at least occasionally in the past year.

The results speak for themselves, they aren’t just statistics but the real voices of women and girls right here in Lancashire. It is unacceptable that so many of them live with fear as part of their daily lives. 

Last week, I convened leaders from across the county to share the survey results and develop a unified response to the concerns raised. 

Senior representatives, including Chief Executives from Lancashire Councils, along with leads from Transport, Public Health, and local support services came together to take coordinated action to address violence against women and girls across the county. You can find further information about our joined response to the survey and ongoing work to tackle VAWG on my website.

Tackle Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour 

Cyber Crime and Fraud Conference

In 2025, 90% of crimes had an online element, criminality is no longer on our doorstep - it's on our phones, our computers, and our tablets. 

To raise awareness of the threat posed by Cyber Crime and Fraud, I recently hosted a conference alongside the Lancashire Partnership Against Crime (LANPAC), and Lancashire Constabulary attended by experts from law enforcement, academia, industry, and lived experience to share insights, strategies, and innovations in the fight against cybercrime and fraud.

Speakers included former reality TV star Georgia Harrison MBE, talking about her campaigning to tackle online privacy and raise awareness on cyber crime, and Tony Sales, a reformed fraudster who now works as a leading expert in fraud and loss prevention, founding We Fight Fraud.

Other presentations saw vital information on AI deepfakes, hacking,  tech-facilitated abuse and the evolving tactics used by cybercriminals, and a range of other risks provided to those who work directly with members of the public that criminals actively target.

Given the complex nature of cybercrime, this isn’t a challenge Lancashire Constabulary, or policing more broadly, can tackle alone. We must pursue offenders both online and offline, while working collaboratively with partners and the public to ensure everyone has the knowledge and tools to stay safe.

Longridge Visit

I joined Maya Ellis MP and the local policing team in Longridge to discuss issues being raised locally, including concerns about retail crime and anti-social behaviour. 

During the visit, we took the time to meet with local business owners and residents to hear first hand about the key issues affecting the community. 

Retail crime and anti-social behaviour are not just statistics – they affect real people, livelihoods, and communities. We know that business owners are on the frontline when it comes to dealing with theft, vandalism, and disruptive behaviour. The day's patrol was about listening and showing that we are committed to working together to make our high streets safer and more welcoming for everyone.

Safer Streets Summer Results

Whilst we are now well into Autumn, the Home Office's Safer Streets initiative concluded on September 30th. The 12-week programme ran from July to September, working in partnership with local agencies as part of a national crackdown on anti-social behaviour, vehicle crime and drug-related offences.

In just 12 weeks, Lancashire Police made over 500 arrests, issued 123 youth referrals, and exercised 563 anti-social behaviour powers to safeguard the public. This is in addition to seizure of 504 illegally modified pedal cycles, e-scooters, and off-road motorbikes, which have now been taken off Lancashire's roads and are set to be crushed. 

Get Tough on Serious Violent Crime

Tackling Money Laundering

Here in Lancashire, we are cracking down on businesses who seek to flout the law for their own financial gain. As part of proactive operations alongside Lancashire Trading Standards and Immigration Enforcement, Lancashire Police visited 22 premises, resulting in the seizure of illicit cigarettes and vapes valued at nearly £200,000 and six arrests.

To best tackle this issue we need support and buy-in from our partners in policing and beyond. To foster collaborative working, I brought together partners for a money laundering round table with specialist speakers including colleagues from the North West Regional Crime Unit, Trading Standards and the Northwest Immigration Compliance and Enforcement Unit.

Modern Slavery Event

Earlier this month, partners were brought together during anti-slavery week for an event aimed at tackling modern slavery and exploitation. Around 120 delegates from across public services, voluntary organisations and wider took part in the roundtable event held at Preston North End to help coordinate Lancashire’s response to modern slavery.

It’s vital that we take effective action against modern slavery, in all of its forms, to tackle what are often complex and hidden crimes.

Bringing offenders to justice and ensuring victims can be brought to safety requires us all to work together, spot the signs and report concerns, which is what this event is all about.

It’s vital that officers continue to target those criminals that exploit vulnerable members of society, who all too often ruin lives for financial gain. As we put offenders behind bars and strip them of ill-gotten gains, we must also ensure timely, expert support is available to help victims move forward with their lives.

Violence Reduction Network

Lancashire's Violence Reduction Network continues to work with partners across the county to prevent and reduce serious violence, a priority in my Police and Crime Plan. As you may already be aware, from 1st November 2025, the governance of the VRN will transfer from Lancashire Constabulary to my Office.  This transition reflects our shared commitment to ensuring the VRN continues to build even greater resilience, delivering lasting impact across our communities.

The VRN has been instrumental in driving the success and sustainability of Operation GRIP across the county. As part of this initiative, the VRN identified 16 priority areas to receive increased policing hours, which has contributed to a 13% reduction in overall crime between July and September 2025, compared to the same period last year.

Rebuild Public Trust and Confidence 

Letter to the Home Secretary

I took the time to write to Shabana Mahmood MP ahead of the 2025 Autumn Budget to highlight the need for fair and sustainable funding for our police service in Lancashire. The residents to Lancashire deserve the most efficient and effective policing service possible, and securing long-term investment is essential to delivering consistent, meaningful improvements that lead to lasting change.

Victim Care Lancashire 

As Police and Crime Commissioner, commissioning support services for victims of crime is a key part of my role, and one I take very seriously. I recently visited Victim Care Lancashire to see how they have been supporting victims of crime across the county since their launch in April. 

I'm incredibly impressed by the work being done by the Victim Care Lancashire team, the compassion and commitment they show is truly commendable. Since launch, the service has received over 11,000 referrals and directly supported more than 850 people on a range of issues from fraud to neighbourhood disputes.  

Victims of crime can contact Victim Care Lancashire via their website at victimcarelancashire.org, by calling 01772 410410, or by emailing support@victimcarelancashire.org.

Victim Support 

Alongside my visit to Victim Care Lancashire, I also visited Victim Support who I have commissioned to provide free, confidential support to anyone in Lancashire affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence. Victim Support also provides specialist support to young victims of crime aged 5 to 18 through their Nest Lancashire team.

The support available ranges from listening and emotional support to safety planning and coping strategies. The Nest Lancashire team also works with Lancashire schools and directly with young people to build confidence and increase understanding of what healthy relationships look like.

As well as meeting service managers, I also had the opportunity to meet survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence, who shared how vital the service has been in supporting their recovery. 

Attestation Ceremonies

I am pleased to support Lancashire Constabulary as they welcomed 62 new officers into their ranks this month. It's genuinely inspiring to see the passion and dedication our new officers bring to the role.

The public rightly expect to see more officers out on our streets—visible, engaged, and making a real difference and tackling the issues that matter most to people in their local area. That’s exactly what my Police and Crime Plan, together with the Government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, is designed to deliver. We’re embedding officers in the communities they serve, gathering local intelligence, and working proactively to keep people safe.

Custody Detention Scrutiny Panel

Ensuring detainees are treated with respect and scrutinising how our custody suites operate is a key part of the openness and transparency needed to rebuild public trust.

This work is supported by regular Custody Detention Scrutiny Panel meetings, delivered through my Office. The panel, made up of independent members of the public, reviews data and specific incidents to assess how custody is operating, including the treatment of detainees, especially young people, and identifies areas for learning and improvement.

Results discussed by the independent panel showed an 8% increase of detainees over the last quarter (July-September 2025). However, over the same period there has been a decrease in use of force incidents, reinforcing how force should only be used when absolutely necessary and proportionate.

Celebrating Volunteers

Last Sunday I had the privilege of hosting a celebratory lunch to thank the dedicated volunteers who support independent scrutiny of policing across the county.

The event brought together volunteers from a range of panels, including the Independent Custody Visiting (ICV) Scheme, the Joint Independent Ethics Committee, and the Stop and Search and Use of Force Scrutiny Panels. These volunteers play a vital role in holding policing to account and ensuring transparency on behalf of the public.

Our volunteers are the eyes and ears of the public and provide invaluable support in my role as the public’s voice in policing. Their scrutiny helps ensure that policing in Lancashire remains open, fair, and accountable, and that the voices of our communities are heard.

It was a real pleasure to spend time with so many of our volunteers and to celebrate the difference they make. This lunch was a small gesture of appreciation for the time, commitment, and integrity they bring to their roles.