Neighbourhood policing strengthened in Wiltshire
Dedicated officers will provide a guaranteed response for local concerns and enquiries.
Named, contactable officers are now in place across every neighbourhood in Wiltshire, providing a more direct link between the public and police to tackle crime.
Tasked with restoring a connection with the communities they serve, these dedicated officers will provide a guaranteed response for local concerns and enquiries.
Wiltshire Police are also now holding regular public meetings to give residents and businesses a voice on the issues they face, in addition to a dedicated antisocial behaviour lead delivering tailored action plans to tackle these concerns.
This is a key milestone in the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee – a flagship commitment in the government's central Plan for Change – aimed at returning visible policing to communities after years of decline. The number of people who regularly see police patrolling in their local area has halved in the past decade, while shoplifting has soared to record levels across the country and latest statistics show 7,884 ASB incidents in Wiltshire.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Communities are sick of the antisocial behaviour and shop theft blighting their town centres. There are too many neighbourhoods across the country who simply do not feel safe.
“A connection between the police and public has been lost for too long but restoring visible officers to our streets and giving communities a proper named contact will rebuild those bonds with the communities they serve.
“The work forces have done so far under this government’s Plan for Change to restore trusted neighbourhood policing is already making a clear difference. We are now ending the postcode lottery of policing and ensuring every single community has a voice to make their streets safer.”
The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee is also now delivering increased patrols in town centres and other hotspot areas across Wiltshire, including places such as Swindon, Salisbury and Chippenham, using local intelligence to protect their high streets from shop theft and violence.
This has been kickstarted by the Home Secretary's Safer Streets Summer Initiative, with 5 towns across the region joining over 500 nationwide in a coordinated blitz on town centre crime and antisocial behaviour.
And to ensure Wiltshire Police gets the support it needs to keep its streets safe, 24 additional neighbourhood officers will be joining neighbourhood policing teams by Spring next year. This means up to 3,000 more officers and PCSOs in neighbourhood policing across all police forces in England and Wales.
Wiltshire Police's Trowbridge Neighbourhood Inspector Ho Tsang led a community engagement event with the Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson, bringing together residents, businesses, and councillors to address antisocial behaviour and street drinking in the town centre. The walkabout through Fore Street, Shires shopping centre, and Trowbridge Park demonstrates neighbourhood policing in action, with officers working alongside Wiltshire Council and Connect Wiltshire to tackle underlying causes of disruption.
Residents and businesses can contact their named neighbourhood officer through the Wiltshire Police website to report antisocial behaviour as part of the Safer Streets Summer campaign.
Chief Superintendent Doug Downing, the Head of Local Policing, said: “Neighbourhood policing remains the bedrock of an effective police service. We recognise that community engagement is a critical component in preventing crime but so too is the work being undertaken away from the patrols in our communities. All ten NPTs across our county are committed to working with partners and our communities to drive down crime and reduce anti-social behaviour. We want our communities to feel safe.
“As such, we will continue to prioritise a service that is visible and accessible. Our neighbourhood teams work hard to identify and address the root cause of crime and anti-social behaviour, often through preventative measures, problem solving, and engagement. We encourage the public to actively engage with officers and, where they exist, share your concerns. To further support our community engagement, you can find more information about local events on the Your Area page of our website or our social media pages.”
John Hayward-Cripps, Chief Executive, Neighbourhood Watch said: “This initiative reflects what many Neighbourhood Watch members want: responsive policing that prioritises local relationships. This is so important because people stop reporting issues when they don’t have confidence that something will be done. We know that successful community policing takes time. Having named and contactable officers is an extremely positive step, the most effective neighbourhood policing models combine targeted approaches with genuine community engagement.
“Working with communities as partners rather than passive recipients, should deliver the visible, community-based policing that not only keeps people safer, but builds confidence and encourages all of us to play an active role in our communities. “