by Terry Norton – Deputy Police & Crime Commissioner
Thank you for allowing me to feature in your newsletter. My name is Terry Norton; I’m the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and a resident of Purbrook and Widley.
It’s been 12 years since Police and Crime Commissioners were first introduced to be the voice of the people and hold the police to account, yet – there is still some mystery around them, what they do and how they help make communities safer.
In Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, the Commissioner and I spend £10 million annually on commissioned services which help fight crime and support victims.
We are responsible for the totality of policing and can be an excellent resource for local people to utilise so that communities (like ours) can receive the changes they want to see. Working together effectively helps us understand our priorities; please take time to read our Police and Crime Plan. You can find it at www.hampshire-pcc.gov.uk. I hope that it will help reassure you that your needs are being addressed.
As the Deputy PCC for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, I have seen first-hand how collaboration on issues like anti-social behaviour makes a huge difference to residents at a hyper-local level. We at the OPCC have commissioned many crime prevention initiatives through an ASB Taskforce force where key stakeholders work in partnership with the police to solve issues in cities, towns and villages.
Whilst collaboration is key, so is police visibility. Purbrook and Widley residents will know how vital increasing police numbers are now and into the future. The Commissioner and I have, therefore, ensured that recruitment numbers are high. Consequently, I’m informing you that we have recently recruited our 600th new police officer, who trained as part of one of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s twenty-four cohorts of recruits since March 2020. At the same time, we are investing in the police estate and infrastructure to take the fight to criminals and build safer communities. It is clear more police will mean faster response times, more investigations, and more crime prevention.
Thanks to PAWARA, you have the opportunity to hear from your Police and Crime Commissioner, councils, landowners, schools, and parents. I have no doubt that residents’ associations (like ours) support in addressing systemic community issues and influence how local money is spent.
Thank you for allowing me to introduce myself, and I hope to meet as many of you as possible in the near future.
