CUMBRIA’S crime commissioner says the county police force has to be equipped to deal with emerging threats as well as those it knows about.

Peter McCall flagged up the danger posed by cyber crime – as well as issues such as terrorism, where the implications go beyond county boundaries.

Mr McCall, who oversees county crimefighting, has already vowed to bolster the number of armed officers available. He shines the spotlight on some of the wider threats in his annual report for the last financial year, a draft version of which is revealed in top level documents.

Mr McCall discusses how he is making sure police are ready to deal with any threats developing in Cumbria or affecting a wider area than the county. These can include civil emergencies, natural disasters, terrorism, cyber attacks and organised crime.

Mr McCall said: “Regrettably we are in a climate of an increase in threats to our safety from many sources.

“We need to have a police force that are equipped to deal not just with existing threats, but those that are emerging, such as an increase in cyber attacks.

“In recognition of this, and to provide reassurance to the public that I take this seriously, I have pledged to increase the number of armed officers available to protect and respond to any potential terror threat or dangerous individuals in Cumbria.

“This is very important, as I know that in the summer of 2017 when additional armed officers were deployed in the county in response to the terror attacks in the UK and abroad, feedback from the public was that they felt reassured.”

Mr McCall also speaks of the ability of the force to handle emergencies and natural disasters - saying he saw this first-hand earlier this year.

He refers to the Beast from the East, which saw the county hit by snowstorms that crippled some communities.

Mr McCall said: “Heavy snowfall – up to 12ft in some areas – affected many parts of the county, leaving some residents in more rural areas isolated and in need of supplies and medical assistance.

“I cannot praise Cumbria Police, staff and volunteers highly enough for their excellent response.

“The force, along with other emergency services, the Army, Royal Air Force, and other partners, worked tirelessly to help keep the county going and keep people safe.

“I am not just talking about front-line officers either but the back-office staff and volunteers too, who used innovative communications tools to keep the public informed as the situation developed.”

He added recently-issued technology to keep officers in touch and connected while out-and-about had proved valuable.

The draft report is up for discussion at a meeting of the Cumbria Police and Crime Panel, which oversees Mr McCall’s work.

It is being held on Tuesday at the headquarters of Cumbria’s fire service, near Penrith.