NEW LOCAL BOBBIES NAMED IN BID TO RESTORE COMMUNITY-POLICING RELATIONS

As part of a bid to restore the public’s trust in Policing, a list of named ‘local bobbies’ has been published by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, giving Islanders a direct point of contact should issues arise in their neighbourhood. In February last year, Police & Crime Commissioner Donna Jones announced she would increase police visibility and restore public confidence by bringing back named Local Bobbies for every community. Now, the force has published a list of 99 officers that have been assigned to communities across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Local residents can now contact their named Bobbie directly via phone and email, in a move which will hopefully strengthen community-police relations – something which has been lost in recent years. Analysis of the list by Island Echo shows that although there are 39 different communities for the Isle of Wight, only 8 different officers are covering the entire Island under the scheme. As an example, PC Gunter covers Seaview, Nettlestone, Godshill, Wroxall, Whitwell, Niton, Chale, Freshwater, Totland and the rest of the West Wight. Meanwhile, PC Carey and PC Trickey jointly cover Brading, St Helens, Bembridge, Lake, Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor – all different areas with different needs and levels of crime. The full list of local bobbies named can be found below (correct as of 17th January):

The Local Bobbies are a part of a much larger local policing offer. They are in addition to Neighbourhood Policing Teams, Neighbourhood Enforcement Teams, District Police Teams (response officers), Missing Locate Teams, Priority Crime Teams and local investigation teams. Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones has said:

“As your Police and Crime Commissioner I have been continually listening, learning and talking to thousands of people about the police service they receive. Their perceptions and feedback meant I was convinced very quickly that bringing back local named police officers to serve you and your communities was the right thing to do. “Ensuring the public know who their Local Bobby is and how to get hold of them is vital. This new scheme will ensure people know who to contact about safety and crime concerns, it will also provide ample opportunities for the community to share information and intelligence easily, ultimately helping the police to police more effectively. “This is a really exciting time for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary. The force has 650 more officers than it did three years ago. It will soon have 10 more police stations open to the public, and now each community will have a dedicated local police contact; their Local Bobby. This, together with the Chief Constable’s new operating model, is a seismic shift in service delivery. “I will continue to lead the fight against crime by working closely with the Chief Constable and our partners to make sure you get the policing service you deserve.”

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Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely has said:

“I’m delighted that local bobbies have returned to Isle of Wight communities. I would like to thank our Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones for listening and responding to what we asked for – all part of getting a better deal for the Island. “It’s important that police officers understand what’s happening in their neighbourhood areas and make themselves accessible to the public. “Islanders want to see them, and they want to be able to talk to them about things they see and hear in their areas. This is a big step forward in striving to make our streets and communities safer. “I’ll be meeting with the new officers soon to talk to them about the issues residents have raised directly with me”.