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Commissioner Clive Grunshaw - July 2026 |
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Welcome to the July edition of my stakeholder newsletter, where I bring you the latest updates on crime and policing across Lancashire. This month you may have seen me leading calls for the introduction of ‘Kiena’s Law’, a proposed change in legislation to better recognise and respond to cases where victims take their own lives following sustained domestic abuse and coercive or controlling behaviour. The campaign is inspired by Kiena Dawes, a young Lancashire mother who died in July 2022 after experiencing prolonged domestic abuse. Working with Kiena’s family and the charity Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA), we are seeking greater recognition of domestic abuse-related suicide within the criminal justice system and stronger accountability for perpetrators. My Office hosted an event in Blackpool bringing together professionals, campaigners and partners to improve understanding, prevention and responses to domestic abuse-related suicide. The event also featured the powerful Blue Shoes Exhibition, highlighting the human impact of lives lost following domestic abuse. A huge thank you to everyone who has supported the public petition for Kiena’s Law so far, helping to build national awareness and support for legislative change. Close to 35,000 signatures in less than three weeks demonstrates the strength of public feeling around this issue to ensure that victims and families receive greater recognition and justice, while strengthening protections to prevent future tragedies.
Clive Grunshaw
Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner
Domestic Abuse Related Suicide On 10th July my Office hosted a conference at the Winter Gardens about Domestic Abuse-Related Suicide: Improving Recognition, Response and Justice. This brought together professionals, partners and campaigners to address growing concerns about the link between sustained domestic abuse and suicide, and gaps in current legislation. Importantly, the event explored the role of agencies in prevention and early intervention. I have been campaigning around this issue for some time, and this event was about raising awareness, improving professional understanding, and amplifying the voices of families who continue to seek justice. I was delighted with the positive feedback from the event and the media impact. We simply must do more to ensure victims are recognised and systems respond appropriately. Please continue to sign and share our petition.
Shoes painted blue to highlight scale of domestic abuse-related suicide A huge thank you to Fylde Coast Women’s Aid (FCWA) who painted 150 pairs of shoes in the colour blue, for an exhibition to represent the number of domestic abuse victims in the UK who are feared to have been driven to suicide by their partners. The installation formed part of a wider event aimed at raising awareness of domestic abuse-related suicides and how further tragedies can be prevented. The colour blue was chosen to symbolise sadness, reflecting the phrase “feeling blue”. The display follows data released by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) in April, which shows that 150 people are suspected to have taken their own lives in the year to March 2025 – an increase from 98 in the previous 12 months. Children’s shoes were also included to symbolise the lives of those left behind. This exhibition provides a visual representation of the scale of this crisis. One hundred and fifty deaths is a shocking figure. It represents an increase of over a third compared to the previous year, and behind every number is a real person – a life and a story that must be heard. This exhibition is about remembering these individuals, not as statistics, but as people whose lives mattered. It has so far been displayed in Blackpool St John's Square and at Blackburn Rovers. If you would like to feature the exhibition as part of your event, please email comms@lancashire-pcc.gov.uk
Get The Message My #GetTheMessage campaign continues to challenge men and boys to reflect on their behaviours. The campaign calls out so-called low-level harassment and highlights the impact of these behaviours on feelings of safety for Lancashire women and girls. Next month will see us do further work with Lancashire run clubs and football clubs. Want to get involved? Follow @Getthemessage_ on Instagram.
Tackle Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour Have your say on anti-social behaviour Alongside Lancashire Police, I have recently launched the Lancashire Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Action Plan. We want to better understand public perceptions of ASB, the lived experiences of Lancashire residents and community priorities. Independent research agency Tonic is holding a series of Lancashire focus groups, inviting businesses and individuals to share their insight which will then help shape ASB-related activity and campaigns in our area. To take part, anyone interested can complete the form at Lancashire Anti-Social Behaviour - Community Engagement Consultation.
Respect Orders to tackle anti-social behaviour Anti-social behaviour can have a lasting impact on people’s lives, making residents feel unsafe in their own communities and damaging confidence in local areas. I am pleased to welcome the introduction of new Respect Orders, giving police and local authorities stronger powers to tackle persistent anti-social behaviour and protect communities across Lancashire. The new powers will be introduced across England and Wales from October under the Crime and Policing Act, and will help authorities take more effective action against repeat offenders whose behaviour causes harassment, alarm and distress in local neighbourhoods.
Op Centurion Operation Centurion continues to deliver strong results in tackling anti-social behaviour across Lancashire. Over the last year, we have seized and crushed thousands of illegal e-bikes and e-scooters, removed hundreds of nuisance vehicles from our streets, and detained thousands of offenders linked to drug dealing, criminal damage, and disorderly behaviour. Here are some highlights of what Op Centurion has achieved across the county in the last year: 1,264 illegal e-bikes and e-scooters were seized and crushed (a 142% increase on the previous year). 379 nuisance vehicles were seized. 1,211 people were detained for 1,314 drug dealing offences. 975 people were detained for 1,111 offences of being drunk and disorderly. 728 people were detained for 771 criminal damage offences. We're now refreshing the campaign to send a clear message: anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated. I would encourage all our partners and communities to support this work by sharing our messages, reporting concerns, and helping us ensure Lancashire remains a safe place to live, work, and visit. Reports of anti-social behaviour can be directed to www.LancashireTacklingASB.co.uk, if the report isn't something your organisation is responsible for.
Commissioner invests over £161,000 of seized criminal cash into Lancashire communities I'm pleased to announce yet another investment of money seized from criminals into 32 community organisations that will prevent crime, tackle anti-social behaviour, and protect vulnerable people across the county. Schemes funded in this round include targeted summer diversionary programmes for young people, community safety initiatives, and specialist support and awareness projects designed to reduce harm and build stronger, safer neighbourhoods. I look forward to seeing the impact these projects have and will continue to work closely with partners to ensure this funding delivers real value and safer streets for everyone.
West Lancashire Community hub supported by seized criminal funds The Hub at Banks has been doing some fantastic work locally, that is why I have provided them with £15,000 of funding as part of my Community Fund to support the "Stay Safe" project. The project includes upgraded security measures alongside self-defence and personal safety sessions designed to help people feel safer and more confident in their day-to-day lives.
Preston Youth Zone Backing Young People I recently had the opportunity to visit The Vault, Preston's state-of-the-art youth zone which has just opened its doors to young people. The visit follows my announcement earlier this year to commit £80,000 of cash seized from criminals into an early intervention outreach programme which will be delivered by youth zones across the county. I am truly impressed by the excellent facilities now available for young people at the new Youth Zone in Preston. Preventing crime is a key priority within my Police and Crime Plan, and we know that if we want to encourage young people to make positive choices, we must provide safe, supportive spaces where they feel valued and engaged.
Policing Takes Centre Stage at Royal Lancashire Show My Office were proud to support this year's Royal Lancashire Agricultural Show, alongside Lancashire Constabulary, and the Lancashire Partnership Against Crime, which featured a dedicated Police Village where visitors could meet officers, staff and partner organisations. The event, attended by my Deputy PCC Kimberley Whitehead, showcased the wide-ranging work taking place to tackle rural crime across Lancashire, including efforts to combat hare coursing, poaching and agricultural theft, protect wildlife and support rural communities. Visitors had the opportunity to engage with specialist teams covering rural crime, cybercrime, road safety, modern slavery and crime scene investigation, as well as a range of partner agencies. The event highlighted the importance of partnership working and provided valuable insight into the proactive policing and specialist resources helping to keep Lancashire’s countryside safe and secure.
Business Action Days Tackling retail crime remains a key priority for my office and Lancashire Constabulary. Everyone deserves to feel safe when they are at work, running a business, or simply visiting local shops. Following the launch of my Safer Lancashire Business Partnership, which brings together businesses and key partners from across the county to strengthen collaboration, share best practice, and identify new ways to address crime affecting the retail sector, Lancashire Police and partners joined forces in a series of targeted days of action focused on preventing business crime and supporting retailers. I fully support the proactive approach being taken by Lancashire Police through Operation Vulture. Initiatives such as these not only help deter offending but also strengthen relationships between businesses, the police, and local communities. That partnership approach is vital in tackling issues such as shoplifting, abuse and harassment of shopworkers, and other offences that impact the retail sector.
Non-consensual intimate image abuse Private intimate images are being shared, stolen or distributed without consent and my Office has identified a gap in the current victim support provision for such offences. As a result, we have brought together Lancashire Constabulary senior detectives working on a large scale non-consensual intimate image abuse (NCII) investigation and experts from Lancaster University to better understand the impact of NCII, sometimes known as intimate image-based abuse. Findings are uncovering the devastating impact of "photo hacking", where private images are stolen from accounts and shared or sold without victims' knowledge or consent. In response, my Office is developing a groundbreaking specialist Lancashire image-based sexual abuse support service for victims addressing the gap in the market, including dedicated one-to-one support, outreach and rapid image takedown coordination through partnership working. We want to hear from people with lived experience to understand the emotional, psychological and social impacts. We also want to hear from people without lived experience to understand public awareness, attitudes and perceptions around reporting and support. Hearing directly from the public will help us to fund specialist support services and ensure victims receive the help they need. Please take a few minutes to complete and share our anonymous survey: https://lancasteruni.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0iXYjMVd1y2ctJc
Get Tough on Serious Violent Crime Cyber Attack Hydra Simulation The delivery of the UK's first business-focused Cyber Attack Hydra Simulation is now underway by the University of Lancashire, thanks to funding from my Office. This new, first-of-its-kind initiative will support local businesses to strengthen their resilience to cybercrime. The programme is designed to support small and medium‑sized businesses across the county by giving business owners, directors and senior managers the opportunity to practise how they would respond to a cyber incident before it happens. By investing proceeds of crime into preventative initiatives like this, we are helping businesses better understand the risks they face, prepare for the decisions they may need to make, and reduce the likelihood of becoming victims. Helping people and businesses avoid becoming victims in the first place is exactly what my Police and Crime Plan is about - keeping Lancashire safe. "Better than any exercise in a box. Truly interactive, fast paced, as real as a sim could get." "Just do it, its free and informative." "The best cyber training session I have ever attended. Strangely frightening and reassuring at the same time!" "Fantastic session, it felt very genuine and masterfully recreated a real cyber incident." Know someone who might want to book? Further dates are now available. Lancashire Cyber Attack Hydra Simulation Tickets, Multiple dates | Eventbrite
No More County Lines Tour visits Wyre Thanks to funding from my Violence Reduction Network (VRN), The Message Trust has been delivering its No More County Lines tour across Wyre, helping to raise awareness of the dangers and impact of county lines exploitation. We know how hard Lancashire officers work to disrupt and dismantle organised crime gangs who try to exploit young people, however policing cannot solve this issue alone. Prevention remains a key part of our response to county lines activity and that is exactly what this tour is delivering. The tour has now visited five schools across the area, where more than 3,100 pupils have taken part in the sessions which promote encouraging and supportive discussions. Preventing crime and safeguarding people are at the heart of my Police and Crime Plan. By investing in targeted initiatives such as this, we can help reduce crime, protect those most at risk and build safer communities across Lancashire.
Violence Reduction Network Champions Football Tournament I've always been an advocate of the value of sport in bringing together young people. That's why I was really pleased to support a football tournament through my VRN Champions programme, hosted by Accrington Stanley Community Trust at Stanley Sports Hub. The event brought together participants from the VRN Champions Programme, which works across 8 football trusts across Lancashire to support young people through mentoring. It's all about giving young people positive opportunities, trusted support and the confidence to make good choices.
Rebuild Public Trust and Confidence ICV Scheme Earns National Silver Award My Independent Custody Visiting Scheme has received national recognition after being awarded a Silver Quality Assurance Award by the Independent Custody Visiting Association. The scheme enables trained volunteers from local communities, known as Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs), to make regular unannounced visits to police custody suites across Lancashire. During these visits, volunteers independently monitor the welfare, rights, entitlements, and treatment of detainees, helping to ensure they are treated fairly, lawfully and with dignity. This award reflects the dedication and professionalism of our volunteers, who give their time to support effective oversight of custody arrangements across Lancashire. I would like to thank every Independent Custody Visitor for their continued commitment and invaluable contribution. | ||
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