The level of police presence and visibility in Broad Oak, Rother, is a complex topic to assess directly, but we can infer it based on available data. Broad Oak, a built-up area with a population of 1614, exhibits a notably low crime rate of 24.8 incidents per 1,000 residents. This is significantly lower than the UK average of 91.6 incidents per 1,000. Coupled with this low crime rate is a high safety score of 94 out of 100, considerably exceeding the UK average of 79. This suggests a general perception of safety within the community.
However, understanding police presence requires examining response times. Data from 2024 indicates a mean immediate police response time of 16 minutes. This is the time taken to respond to urgent incidents requiring immediate attention. Furthermore, the mean priority response time, for less urgent but still significant matters, is 107 minutes. While these figures don't directly reflect the number of officers physically present in Broad Oak, they do highlight the time it takes for police to respond to calls for assistance. Longer response times can be influenced by various factors, including the distribution of resources across the Rother district and the volume of calls received.
It's important to note that a lower crime rate can, in some instances, correlate with a perceived lower need for visible police presence. However, consistent and proactive policing contributes to maintaining that low crime rate. The high safety score suggests that any perceived lack of visible presence is not significantly impacting residents’ feelings of safety, likely due to the low actual crime levels. Further investigation into the Rother Police’s resource allocation strategy would be needed to determine the specific factors influencing response times in Broad Oak.