As your police and crime commissioner, I'm pleased to share some good news: crime in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has dropped by eight per cent over the last year. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that while crime across England and Wales has fallen by 3.5 per cent on average, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has bucked the trend.

One of the biggest successes has been the reduction in anti-social behaviour. We’ve seen 4,062 fewer incidents in the past 12 months. This means less disruption on your streets and a better quality of life for everyone. Tackling anti-social behaviour is important because it can lead to more serious crimes, so stopping it early makes a big difference. To bolster this I have just released £750,000 to local councils to fund ASB wardens.

There are other areas where the force has made great progress over the last 12 months. Bicycle theft has dropped by 33 per cent, public order offences are down by 22 per cent, and residential burglary has decreased by 16 per cent. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice figures show that first time offenders for knife related offences in Hampshire are at a record low. 

READ MORE: Police commissioner triggers £750k to prevent a spike in anti-social behaviour

This has all happened under the leadership of Chief Constable Scott Chilton who I appointed in 2023 to ensure the force went back to basics: reducing crime and making sure those who break the law face the consequences.

The proof is now in the pudding. This progress has come from investing in neighbourhood policing and reopening police stations. The Chief and I have been able to do this despite the fact that I chose not to raise the council tax for 2024-25 policing to the maximum allowed by the government. As commissioner, I’ve made sure that every penny of taxpayers’ money is spent wisely with sound investment to support the Chief’s vision of restoring policing to its core crime-fighting role.

I’ve added 650 more police officers to the beat and pledged another 75 for next year. I hope to extend my Local Bobbies scheme even further soon. More than 10,300 people responded to my Police and Crime Plan survey which will help set the direction for the force for the next four years. The plan will be published in October and will build on this strong backdrop of more police officers, more police stations and less crime. I’m committed to ensuring that your police force continues to serve you well. Your support and feedback is making that happen.