Preventing violence against women starts by teaching children basic manners, Avon and Somerset's police and crime commissioner has said.

Mark Shelford revealed that the impact of the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving Met Police officer on public confidence in the police left him feeling "physically sick".

He said it was up to officers to rebuild that trust and the service needed to tackle low-level sexual impropriety like wolf whistling early to prevent such behaviour escalating.

By the end of his three-year term as PCC Mr Shelford wants half of all cases of violence against women to reach court – up from 11.2 per cent now – and has asked the criminal justice branch to take more risks.

Speaking at a meeting with parishes in Bath and North East Somerset on October 13, he said: "I was horrified and frankly disgusted by the murder of Sarah Everard, particularly when the details came out. I felt physically sick because of what it would do to the confidence of people with the police – one horrendous person destroying all that trust immediately.

"We've got to work so hard to rebuild that trust within the policing community."

Serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens he showed Ms Everard his warrant card before arresting her under false pretences.

Avon and Somerset Police now has introduced a new officer verification process that allows members of the public will be able to confirm the identity of any officer that they come into contact with.

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Mr Shelford said he had wrapped his arms around officers and told them he understood how angry they felt about Couzens, and that it was up to junior commanders to make clear that misogyny in the force was "absolutely unacceptable".

He said Avon and Somerset Police takes allegations of misconduct extremely seriously and if there is a "particularly nasty" case he can dock the officer's pension.

Those powers have only been used once to date in Avon and Somerset by former PCC Sue Mountstevens after a former police officer was jailed after kicking a handcuffed teen in the face.

"If there's any question of sexual impropriety, it really counts, because if you don't deal with it when it's small, it might be a wolf whistle, it can generate up into a much greater thing," Mr Shelford said.

"You have to take it seriously, not only to make sure we have the right culture within the police, but also out on the street.

"We've got to get in there early. If we do it when it's shouting and being unpleasant to people we can stop it becoming physical violence, otherwise it can be too late.

"The other aspect is the education piece and getting into schools early. It's so important to teach our young to treat each other well, basic manners – where have they gone?

"We just need to get back to that. If we get it right there, these things won't happen later on."

The PCC said victims of sexual offences must be offered wraparound care but the police's focus should be on the perpetrator, adding: "I've asked the criminal justice branch to take much more risk in the cases they put together with violence against women so we can get a higher percentage of those into court.

"The numbers have increased in the last four months but they still aren't nearly enough. They've gone from about 1.2 per cent, they're now at 11 per cent. A reasonable first step after three years will be up to 50 per cent. It's not enough but it's a hell of a lot more than it has been before."