EVERY time I speak to residents they tell me they want to go back to community policing and I agree. Whilst policing has changed, and we need to have specialist officers tackling organised crime and terrorism, we also need police officers who get to know their community and stay in post. That's the message I have taken to Hampshire police and it's been listened to.

We now have 99 named officers across every neighbourhood in Hampshire serving as a dedicated ‘beat bobbies', tasked to proactively tackle issues and protect the community. 

​I’ve seen for myself the difference that local bobbies are already making. I have helped host "beat surgeries" in Chineham, Oakley, Hatch Warren and Beggarwood. Residents are eager to speak to us about the local issues concerning them, and to express their support for this approach.

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Basingstoke Gazette:

It really is making a difference and I continue to hold "beat surgeries" across the borough, teaming up with local bobbies to speak to residents and to help address concerns they may have. You can find out more about the local bobby scheme and how to contact your local designated named officer is by visiting hampshirealert.co.uk.

There are now more than 650 extra police officers in Hampshire thanks to more funding, meaning the equivalent of 50 extra officers in Basingstoke. They are much needed to deter illegal, noisy dangerous driving and antisocial behaviour, some of the concerns raised with me by residents.

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But as ever, British policing relies on working with us residents. It's crucial you report incidents and share information especially dashcam footage when it comes to potential driving offences.

The "beat bobbies" ensure that residents know who to contact about safety and crime concerns and provides opportunities for the community to share information and intelligence in a way that helps policing to be more effective.

Local bobbies are, of course, part of a much bigger team of neighbourhood policing teams, neighbourhood enforcement teams, district police teams, missing locate teams, priority crime teams and specialist officers investigating specific crimes, all working together to help keep Basingstoke a great place to live.