However, we cannot stand still, and while we deal with some of the longer-term issues we still have to maintain and indeed improve the day-to-day service. We are not like a factory, which can close down to prepare for a new product; we have to keep going 24 hours a day.

There are more adverts now appearing about the Policing Pledge. This lays out what the public can expect from their local police. Despite lots of advertising, we know there are still people who don't know about it. Perhaps this is inevitable, most people don't sit around wondering what sort of service the police are providing. If they have not had grounds to call the police themselves, they may be affected by what they have heard from a friend or neighbour. We now carry out lots of surveys with the public to see what they think about crime in their area and what they think of policing. It is clear there are many different perceptions out there but this does not mean we must not keep trying to build public confidence. You can find out more about the Pledge on our website.

Last week, the criminal justice agencies in Greater Manchester held their annual award ceremony. This is to recognise staff and volunteers who have gone the extra mile to provide a better service to the public or reduce re-offending. There were some excellent examples. Perhaps some of the most powerful were of projects working with offenders to put them back on the straight and narrow.

One ex-offender gave a very powerful testimony of how her offending behaviour grew out of her anger towards her mother for being put in care, and how this led to a number of very destructive relationships with men, and eventually a prison sentence for burglary. She then was given a probation officer who believed in her and she has now completely turned her life around, has a job, and now works voluntarily with young people.

There were a number of awards to members of Victim Support and Witness Service who provide an excellent service to victims of crime and those giving evidence in court.

The overall award was won by one of our police community support officers from Oldham -Christine Gee. I already knew of Christine as I saw a letter written by a number of her local residents about the great work she had done bringing her community together and dealing with anti-social behaviour. The award was very well deserved.

There has been much controversy about police community support officers and there are still many of the public who don't really understand what they do. I think they have been a great success. They are out there on the streets talking to the public and gathering information and intelligence. They solve those local problems that often most affect people's quality of life. The information they gather is proving to be vital in the reduction of crime.

The public wants to know that there is a local team of officers and PCSOs working in their area and they want to know how to contact them. They would like more information about crime in their area and what we are doing about it. Christine Gee is very much part of that effort and local people have confidence in her.