Hampshire & Isle of Wight ‘leading the way’ with Local Bobby scheme

Click here to find your Local Bobby

Donna Jones, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner has welcomed the government’s announcement on neighbourhood policing today, specifically the call for police forces to introduce named and contactable police officers for every community – a scheme already launched in Hampshire & the Isle of Wight 12 months ago.

Responding to the announcement, PCC Donna Jones said: As Police Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Constabulary I introduced Local Bobbies in January 2024. A total of 99 dedicated police officers whose mobile phone number, name and email address is available on the constabulary website. Every village, town, city and community in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight have their own Local Bobby and I’m about to roll out more.

“We’ve seen significant reductions in crime over the last 12 months. Communities feel safer, anti-social behaviour has reduced, crime has come down and charge rates have increased. Its clear communities feel safer when the police are contactable and accessible. My pledge to open more police stations to the public is also ensuring people feel better connected to their police force.”

Donna Jones, Vice Chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, and lead for Criminal Justice has also urged the government to take a broader view, emphasising that whilst investment in policing is welcome, it cannot rebuild trust and confidence in the entire criminal justice system.

PCC Jones stressed: “There are still significant issues with court backlogs, delays in charging decisions, and the pressures on probation services to manage offenders in the community. When people contact my office, it’s not because they can’t reach a police officer or because an officer hasn’t turned up — it’s because they’re frustrated by delays and failings in the wider system.

“Sexual offence victims are waiting an average of 710 days from the point of complaint to the conclusion of proceedings. That is, as the Director of Public Prosecutions stated today, totally unacceptable.”

She concluded, “While today’s investment in policing is welcome, it risks front-loading the problem unless matched by significant reform and funding across the wider criminal justice system. We cannot expect the police to shoulder the entire burden of a system in desperate need of investment.”