Surrey: Measures to put more neighbourhood police on beat
He said: "It's about building lasting relationships and ensuring that we are seen as a trusted resource, not just an authority figure."The guarantee reinforces our commitment to community engagement, crime prevention, and proactive policing."The programme is part of the government's plan to have at least one named, contactable officer in each neighbourhood, as well as dedicated teams on patrol in town centres and other hotspots, according to Local Democracy Reporting Service.There will also be dedicated antisocial behaviour leads in every force which Surrey Police said reflects the government's recognition of the public's crime and safety concerns.
Surrey Police said it had a total of 2,336 officers in March.Lisa Townsend, the force's Police and Crime Commissioner, said: "Neighbourhood policing is a key commitment for Surrey Police, and residents are already benefiting from that focus, with an additional 3,500 charges and 2,500 more arrests across all crime types in 12 months."Initiatives such as the Safer Streets programme and hotspot policing have led to increased trust and greater intelligence gathering in our communities."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Man, 21, arrested after dangerous driving reports in Woking
A 21-year-old man has been arrested by Surrey Police following reports of a car being driven dangerously in Woking. Officers said they were called to Alexandra Gardens at around 17:15 BST on 16 July. The driver left the car and made off on foot before later handing himself in to police, they was arrested on suspicion of common assault, dangerous driving, driving without insurance, driving whilst unfit through drink and drugs, obstructing police and taking a vehicle without consent. He has been released on bail. Surrey Police urged anyone who witnessed what happened or has relevant footage to get in contact.
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
Woman allegedly murdered by ex-fiance at hotel ‘owed him £100,000', court told
The mother of two, 54, had arranged to stay in a twin room with her ex-fiance, James Cartwright, the night before, because she 'didn't want him to feel lonely' on his birthday, a trial at Guildford Crown Court previously heard. Cartwright called 999 at about 8.30am on April 14 claiming he had discovered the lifeless body of Ms Mickleburgh lying next to him in bed. Samantha Mickleburgh was found dead at the Pennyhill Park Hotel (Surrey Police/PA) While giving evidence on Monday, Cartwright told the court that Ms Mickleburgh purchased a property to fix up and collected the keys in early March 2023. They were 'very close' at the time and, in April that year, he lent her £30,000 to fund the development, he told jurors. She planned to get a mortgage once it was habitable and repay him 'but (the money) ended up running out quite quickly', he added. She received a mortgage in July that year and they started to live together at the property, the court heard. By that point Ms Mickleburgh owed him between £40,000 and £50,000, he said. At the time of her death this had increased to about £100,000, he told the jury. The defendant said he proposed to Ms Mickleburgh on a beach in autumn 2023, which was met with 'an immediate and emphatic yes'. 'Everything (was) extremely amicable and friendly and loving' during the holiday, he added. Three days after returning, he noticed a 'highly sexual' WhatsApp message from her former partner on her phone home screen. Cartwright, who wore a dark suit to his trial, told jurors: 'I was deeply shocked and very upset and very hurt.' Martin Rutherford, defending Cartwright, asked if he explained his feelings to Ms Mickleburgh during the incident on October 2. The defendant said: 'Yes, I did, it went not well – Samantha was very embarrassed that I'd seen it and read it and stormed out of the house without any sort of explanation and response, which I was even more upset about. 'She got into her car. It was clear that she was going to drive away. I pulled (the gate) to prevent the car from leaving. 'She chose to drive through the gate and onto the road, so I had to put myself in front of the car to stop her leaving, because the gate hadn't worked.' He told the court 'I was very embarrassed by my behaviour, I had overreacted' and said he had apologised to Ms Mickleburgh. The relationship then started to decline, he said. At the end of October, he saw a WhatsApp message on her laptop from the same man, the court heard. 'There were a very large quantity of messages and they were highly sexually explicit between both of them – it wasn't just one-way traffic, it was both ways,' he said. 'Again, I was absolutely devastated', he said, adding that it had damaged his trust in her. They continued to live with each other until February 2024 and were physically intimate during that time, he said. He again found messages between Ms Mickleburgh and her ex-partner around two weeks before he moved out. Cartwright told the court: 'I chose a different tack and, this time, I didn't disclose to Samantha that I had seen them. I suppose, if I'm honest, I wanted to catch her out. 'I asked her when she'd last had contact with him and she said 'oh, towards October last year – she hadn't heard anything from him since'. 'It was almost terminal on my part, I just couldn't get beyond it.' He said on February 17 2024, Ms Mickleburgh 'told me that she was really struggling, she had an awful lot of things going on in her life, different pressures, with family, looking for work'. He said he had offered to move out into a commercial space in Axminister that he had access to. Days after moving out, he downloaded the dating app Bumble and started messaging two women. He told jurors he was 'just looking for companionship, friendship'. He told one woman, whom he had not yet met in person, about his upcoming birthday dinner with his then fiancee who he said had been the 'love of my life'. In texts read to the court, he said: 'I'm not planning it, she is. It has the feel of a final farewell.' He told jurors that he sent this because he 'was uncharacteristically pessimistic about the outcome' of the dinner. Another message said 'it could go any way… the last goodbye'. The defendant said he had been married and divorced three times and had three adult daughters. Cartwright, 61, of no fixed address, denies raping and murdering Ms Mickleburgh between April 12 and April 14 last year. He also denies one count of controlling and coercive behaviour between May 1 2022 and April 14 2024. The trial continues.
Rhyl Journal
2 days ago
- Rhyl Journal
MP backs summer crime crackdown in Rhyl and Colwyn Bay
The Safer Streets summer scheme aims to target anti-social behaviour in Clwyd North and is part of the Labour Government's broader 'Plan for Change'. The plan includes the recruitment of 13,000 new neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs across the UK, supported by an initial sum of £200 million. Gill German, Labour MP for Clwyd North, said: "People in Clwyd North deserve to feel safe and confident in their local high streets – whether they're shopping, working, or spending time with family and friends. "I've spoken to residents and business owners across Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, and our other town centres, and they've made it clear that tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority." The scheme, backed by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, includes Colwyn Bay and Rhyl among more than 500 towns taking part. Residents should expect to see a "stronger, more visible police presence, along with targeted action to clamp down on anti-social behaviour." The initiative is being delivered in partnership with police and crime commissioners, councils, businesses, and community leaders. In North Wales, Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin has worked with partners to develop plans focused on both prevention and enforcement. These include banning persistent offenders from town centres and increasing support for community-led safety schemes. Since the scheme launched on June 30, North Wales Police have increased foot patrols. Officers have engaged with the public through events such as Cuppa with a Copper and carried out enforcement activity. During the first week, officers made arrests and executed warrants resulting in seizures of Class A drugs, cash, mobile phones, and drug paraphernalia. The crackdown is set to run until September 30. Ms German said she has seen first-hand the value of visible, community-focused policing. She said: "Last week, I was pleased to join Inspector Matthew Kelly-Smith for a walkabout in Colwyn Bay town centre, where we discussed the benefits of an increased police presence and the importance of visible, community-focused policing. "I also spent time with Police Community Support Officers on their regular patrol in Rhyl West, hearing directly from them about the challenges they face and the positive impact their presence can have in reassuring the public and preventing crime. "That's why I welcome this summer crackdown – with more officers on the beat, real action to tackle anti-social behaviour, and support for our young people. "I'll keep working closely with North Wales Police and local partners to make sure Clwyd North gets the support it needs to build safer, stronger, and more vibrant communities. "I'm really pleased to see this government prioritising neighbourhood safety through proper investment in local policing. "There's still a way to go, but we're making meaningful progress together." The government is also launching a new Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy. This aims to use shared intelligence to protect shops and workers from organised, repeat, and opportunistic offenders. Ms Cooper said the crackdown sends a clear message to offenders. She said: "I have called on police forces and councils to work together to deliver a summer blitz on town centre crime, to send a clear message to those people who bring misery to our towns that their crimes will no longer go unpunished. "The fact that Rhyl and Colwyn Bay have signed up shows the strength of feeling locally on this issue. "Through our Safer Streets Mission and Plan for Change, we are putting officers back on the beat where you can see them and making our town centres safe again."
