Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s first ‘home grown’ chief constable has taken up his position today (Thursday) with a commitment to provide exceptional local policing.
49-year-old Scott Chilton returns to the force where he began his policing career as an 18-year-old and served nearly all of his career.
He joined Hampshire in 1992, working his way through uniformed policing before joining the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in 1996, spending the next 16 years as a detective. Scott progressed to the rank of Chief Superintendent, overseeing many complex major crime investigations.
In 2008, Scott was seconded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to Afghanistan where he led the development of policing reform and counter corruption.
He later returned to become the Assistant Chief Constable at Hampshire Constabulary, a role he held for 5 years before becoming Deputy Chief Constable at Dorset Police. In August 2021, Scott was promoted to Chief Constable of Dorset Police.
During his career, Scott has been the Head of Special Branch as well as a Commander of crime and operations departments across both Hampshire and Thames Valley, responsible for firearms, operations and roads policing for 5 counties.
Chief Constable Chilton has today said:
“Having strong relationships with our local communities is the bedrock of policing. We know that people want to feel connected with their local teams and to feel safe. I share that view.
Article continues below this advertisement “This means relentlessly pursuing those who commit crime and bring harm and misery to communities, providing first class investigations to ensure those responsible face the consequences of their actions, with kindness and compassion being at the heart of our response to victims.
“As well as being your Chief Constable, I am also a resident of Hampshire, with many of my family and friends living here too. So both personally and professionally, I have the same expectations as you and I am committed to making sure that Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is safe for everyone.”
During the Police and Crime Panel meeting that led to confirmation of Chief Constable Chilton’s appointment, he outlined his passion for local policing and officer visibility, ensuring that neighbourhood teams are connected with their communities and targeting community crimes.
He also outlined his commitment in delivering the Police and Crime Commissioner’s ‘More Police, Safer Streets’ Police and Crime Plan, welcoming her recent announcement to bring in even more police officers as part of the recent budget approval, which will help improve visibility within local communities.
Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones said:
“I am delighted to welcome Scott Chilton as the new chief constable of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. Scott has extensive experience as a senior police officer, having already been a chief in Dorset, and I am really pleased to be welcoming him back to his home force to lead the constabulary into a new era.
“Scott and I have a shared vision for policing and it starts with strengthening and developing neighbourhood policing. As Commissioner and with Scott’s support, I have already committed to reintroducing named local bobbies for every community by April 2024. Together we want to make Hampshire and the Isle of Wight the safest places to live, work and visit, supported by strong, traditional local policing teams which connect and support communities to reduce crime.
“As Commissioner, I know that driving down the crimes that matter the most to the public, increasing police visibility in neighbourhoods, and creating a force that is tough on crime to bring offenders to justice is what the public rightly expect, and I am confident Scott will lead the constabulary with these ambitions at the very core of his leadership.”
Good luck in your new position.
How about bringing back local Bobbies to walk the beat.
One problem when they walk along Great Preston Road Ryde
They won’t be able to get along the pavement outside the old Council Houses
due to the residents at Number 90 parking on the pavement.
Make Roads and Streets safe for everyone.
How about he looks at the ‘reason’ why the UK has so much more crime now and tackles the Government over never ending unchecked immigration?
As our prisons now are overfilled with the worlds criminals, not just our own home grown, then courts can never again give ‘meaningful’ sentences to anyone expect the very worst.
This means that lesser but still serious criminals have very soft sentences.
So, this knowledge that ‘you wont’ get done’ or IF you do, ‘just be a fine’ attitude does nothing to discourage others who ‘may’ have thought twice about committing crime now.
Whilst he, like most won’t speak out for fear of the race card and pension etc, about time someone told it how it is.
A home grown apple lets hope the barrel not rotten