For Pc Lou Martin, being a neighbourhood police officer is more than just a job – it is an ongoing commitment to her friends, her family and her hometown.

Pc Martin, a mother to three girls, joined Nottinghamshire Police on her 38th birthday after enjoying a rewarding career as a teaching assistant.

Her goal in doing so was not to drive fast cars and chase criminals, but to find another way of helping people to overcome challenges in their lives and to make her home town – Mansfield – a better place to live.

Pc Martin, one of an eight-strong town centre policing team, was interviewed about her work as part of national Neighbourhood Policing Week – seven days of action to shed light on neighbourhood policing.

She said: “When people think about the role of a police officer it is natural to imagine us all driving around on blue flashing lights, rushing to job to job and chasing down criminals. Whilst we do get to do a bit of that, most of that kind of work is reserved for members of our response teams who are constantly responding to 999 calls.

“As neighbourhood officers our job is to patrol the same areas day after day, speaking to people, listening to their concerns and building up effective working relationships. So, when we aren’t dealing with ongoing incidents of crime or antisocial behaviour, we area working to build those relationships and to better understand people’s problems and concerns. Because one we understand them we can set about solving them.”

Persistent police challenges in Mansfield town centre include low level antisocial behaviour, shop-lifting and drug use.

Pc Martin added: “If you think about shop-theft as an example there are two parts to that problem and more than one way to help the businesses affected. Yes, we can keep catching and punishing the people committing the offences, but we can also work with the affected shops to help them improve their security and deterrence measures.

“Drug use is another example where we can work with others to tackle the problem.  Many of the people involved are very vulnerable and are known to local homeless and treatment services. By working together as we do we can ensure the are also being given the help they need to break that cycle of offending.

“Obviously, we’ll keep arresting those people again and again when they commit offences, but we know we have to work with others if we are to change their behaviour and make the town a better place to live and work.

“And for me, that is what neighbourhood policing is all about – making the area you work in a better place. So, while some people may think some of the lower level offences we deal with are not that serious, in reality they really do matter to the town as a whole.

“All of us on the town centre team are local people .We are passionate about the town and the wider area and really care about its future. I am a mum and I want to bring my children into town. I want my older girls to enjoy the night-time economy and I want them to be safe.

“I also want the same for everyone else who lives and works here and being a neighbourhood police officers gives me the best possible opportunity to make a difference.”

During the week of action, led by the National Police Chief’s Council, Nottinghamshire Police is also continuing to encourage local residents to sign up to Nottinghamshire Alert so they can have direct engagement with the force and its partners around issues that matter to them.

To sign up to Nottinghamshire Alert visit: https://www.nottinghamshirealert.co.uk/

Residents can also visit their local neighbourhood police team pages on the force’s website for the latest news, social media posts, monthly blogs and contact details.

Nottinghamshire Police continues to encourage local communities to help shape local policing in their area by taking part in its neighbourhood policing priority survey.

To have your say visit: www.nottinghamshire.police.uk/neighbourhoods/what-matters