Constabulary is strides ahead on delivering Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee thanks to Police and Crime Commissioner and hard work of officers

The Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson, visited Cosham this week as part of the national Safer Streets Summer initiative, hosted by Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary.

During the visit, the Minister heard about the success and progress of the Commissioner’s Local Bobby scheme launched in January 2024; a year ahead of being implemented nationally under the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. The force also demonstrated how it was using technology to speed up response times to anti-social behaviour and how it holds regular public meetings to give residents and businesses a voice on the issues they face and help shape the police response.

The Policing Minister witnessed first-hand how the work of officers on patrol in Cosham town centre is making a difference to communities. The walkabout showcased the force’s proactive efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) and shop theft, with a focus on visibility and enforcement following a number of business burglaries. The patrol also provided an opportunity to hear directly from victims of crime about the challenges they face and the impact of increased visibility on community reassurance.

The visit formed part of the Safer Streets Summer initiative, a national programme to boost police visibility in crime hotspots. The initiative also supports coordinated action with councils, businesses, schools, health services and community organisations to make town centres safer this summer. The Minister praised the work of the Commissioner, Donna Jones, for supporting the force to deliver exceptional neighbourhood policing, and thanked officers for their ongoing efforts.

PCC Donna Jones said: “It was a pleasure to host the Policing Minister in Cosham and demonstrate the work officers are doing every day to reduce crime. Anti-social behaviour and crimes against businesses are persistent issues in town centres which increase during the summer.

“The number of officers walking the beat in Cosham has increased significantly in the first month of this initiative, specifically in violent crime hotspots. Since the beginning of July, over 20 extra patrols have been completed in Cosham alone, and force wide the police have completed over 440 extra patrols as part of the initiative.

“Providing public reassurance with named and contactable Local Bobbies and increased patrol activity means those visiting and working in town centres can enjoy the area without the fear of crime.”

The Commissioner also highlighted the importance of multi-agency collaboration, with local stakeholder forums playing a key role in shaping targeted interventions.

Assistant Chief Constable Tara McGovern said: “It was a good opportunity to show Dame Diana some of the work we have been doing to make our streets safer in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Our goal is to provide exceptional local policing to our communities, as they rightly expect us to be on the streets dealing with issues that are important to them. We have made a lot of changes in force over the past few years to give more power and the right support to our local policing teams, so they can better deal with crime and anti-social behaviour.”

The Safer Streets Summer initiative continues across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, with hotspot policing teams deployed in 28 priority locations to deliver high-impact enforcement through with highly visible patrols.