COUNTY Durham and Darlington’s Police, Crime and Victims Commissioner has unveiled his plan for his next term in office.

Ron Hogg has pledged to continue his high-profile work around drugs reform while working to protect victims and make communities safer.

Mr Hogg told The Northern Echo that victims and the vulnerable were at the heart of his new Police and Crime Plan, set to be unveiled today (Friday, July 22).

Through the plan, he aims to “build confidence in policing by reducing crime to make communities safer and supporting victims and the vulnerable, with an efficient and effective service delivery.”

The former assistant Chief Constable of Durham Constabulary will work with the force on a number of objectives outlined in the plan.

They include reducing reoffending, safe-guarding vulnerable people, tackling emerging threats and ensuring victims are supported at all stages of the criminal justice system.

He will also be working to improve road safety, reduce the impact of hate crime and anti-social behaviour and address domestic abuse and sexual violence.

Mr Hogg said: “We will be continuing our work tackling violence against women and girls and driving forward our work there.

“I’m working closely with refuges and trying to ensure our strategies are up to speed.

“Changes we’ve made include getting officers to put on their body cameras when going to domestic incidents, with more guilty pleas as a result.”

Mr Hogg, a longstanding advocate of drugs reforms, will also continue his campaign to reduce the harm caused by drugs and alcohol.

A public consultation around the Police and Crime Plan will take place throughout August and September.

For more information on the plan or to submit views anonymously, visit durham-pcc.gov.uk.