Category: Children and young people

The image shows Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend walking through a town centre with two police officers in uniform. Lisa, who has blonde hair, stands on the right of the image. She wears a black jacket and trousers. The officers, one male and one female, are wearing their uniforms and police hats, and they are in the middle of a conversation with Lisa as they all walk past a branch of Marks and Spencer.

“It’s what residents want to see”: Surrey’s Safer Streets Summer begins

Posted on | by Alex Winter

A MAJOR new campaign to keep Surrey’s town centres safe over the summer has launched. 

The Home Office-backed Safer Streets Summer Initiative will see a focus on the busiest areas of the county to bolster crime prevention and community safety. 

The scheme, which brings together the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Surrey Police and partners across Surrey, including schools, councils, health services, businesses, and transport and community organisations, aims to tackle crimes that blight communities. 

Anti-social behaviour, violence against women and girls, retail crime and violent offending will be among the types of criminality targeted with visible patrols and special police operations. These crime types typically increase during the summer months.

Officers will also proactively use anti-social behaviour powers and visit retail premises to offer advice, reassurance and support. 



Major summer campaign begins

Locations for the initiative span the county, including Staines and Addlestone in the north, Farnham and Camberley in the west, Dorking further to the south, and Caterham in the east. 

Targeted activity will take place until September, with a range of activities planned in each of the towns. 

Plain-clothed officers will spot signs of suspicious behaviour in the county’s busiest nightspots, while joint operations are set to target crime enabled by motorbikes and mopeds. 

Youth engagement officers will work with partners to find opportunities for young people during school holidays, and roads policing teams will be on the lookout for dangerous or distracted drivers. 

Targeted operations

Officers will also mount specific patrols tackling retail crime and anti-social behaviour in tandem with partners from environmental health, licensing and trading standards. 

News of the initiative comes as Surrey marks national Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week.

Anti-social behaviour is a key priority for the county’s Safer Neighbourhood Teams throughout the year, and more information on how to report anti-social behaviour or access help can be found here. 

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend has made available funding for any developing town centre work that needs support over the course of the summer.  

The Commissioner said: “While Surrey remains one of the safest places to live in the country, I know that anti-social behaviour, retail crime and violence against women and children are among the issues that matter most in our communities.

“It’s what residents want to see”

“The Safer Streets Summer Initiative will allow police officers and staff, along with our fantastic partners, to put a spotlight on neighbourhood policing and community safety. 

“This type of visibility is what residents have told me they want to see. 

“The aim isn’t simply police enforcement – it’s collaboration, and we aim not only to respond to crime, but to prevent it altogether. 

“A huge range of activities will be taking place across the summer. 

“More anti-social behaviour warning letters will be sent out, while data and intelligence will be used to identify areas that are disproportionately impacted by specific crime types. 

Tailored plan of action

“There will also be various days of targeted action and close working with some of our key partners. 

“We will work with Business Improvement Districts to protect retailers and support vulnerable children to divert them away from crime. 

“Each of the town centres identified for additional work as part of the scheme will see its own tailored plan of action unfolding over the summer months. 

“I look forward to sharing more about this initiative in the weeks to come, and I wish all residents a Safer Streets Summer of their own.” 

The image shows a group of people standing in front of a wall with graffiti artwork on it. The group includes officers in uniform, and at the centre is Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend, who wears a stripy long-sleeved top and sailor-style trousers, and Surrey Police's Chief Constable, who wears a short-sleeved shirt with epaulettes and a tie. Everyone in the group is looking at the camera and smiling.

How table football and fist bumps help police build relationships with young people in Camberley

Posted on | by Alex Winter

EVER wondered how good Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner is at table tennis? 

As children and young people from Camberley found out this week, the answer is: surprisingly good. 

And members of the Club Dean youth centre also discovered that Surrey Heath Borough Commander Ryan Scott is unbeatable at table football, while the Force’s Chief Constable Tim De Meyer plays a sharp game of pool. 

Lisa Townsend joined officers and staff after their working day had ended to celebrate national Neighbourhood Policing Week of Action. 

The event shines a spotlight on the vital work of neighbourhood officers, PCSOs and volunteers to protect the public and keep people safe. 



Club visit

Surrey Heath councillors Shaun Garrett and Trefor Hogg, who have been instrumental to the club’s success, also attended on the night to welcome the team. 

It comes as Lisa commits just over £31,000 to fund a youth worker at Club Dean. The post aims to promote community safety and provide opportunities to young people on the estate. 

Ahead of the visit, Lisa answered questions on crime and policing from 50 students at Collingwood College before joining officers and PCSOs from the Surrey Heath Safer Neighbourhood Team on a patrol of the Old Dean estate. 

The Commissioner has a dedicated funding stream for opportunities that support children and young people and divert them away from crime. 

“No child should be afraid”

She said: “We want every child and young person in Surrey to have the tools they need for healthy, safe, happy lives. 

“As part of that, no child should ever be afraid to speak to police or view officers as the enemy. 

“That’s why I’m so grateful the team at Surrey Heath have taken the time to join me at Club Dean after their working day has ended to play games with the young people here.

“It was lovely to see young members welcome officers with some fantastic questions and some fist bumps too. 

Breaking down barriers

“I’m also delighted that our Chief Constable, who used to volunteer at a boxing club on the Old Dean estate, has been able to join in. 

“He’s proven to be a wonderful pool player, although I did spot him secretly potting a red for his young opponent while she wasn’t looking. 

“Meeting children in a setting like this breaks down barriers and build relationships.

“But they aren’t the only people to benefit from the team’s visit today. 

Officers’ impact

“Some adults who are struggling with homelessness have been spoken to by the officers and PCSOs, along with the fantastic team at the Hope Hub – a charity I support through funding that aims to relieve poverty across the borough. 

“That’s why the Force’s role in Surrey’s neighbourhoods is so crucial. Our officers can impact lives for years to come. 

“It also makes me so proud that I can support organisations like Club Dean and the Hope Hub. Their work has the power to make real, lasting change.” 

The picture shows a large group of people standing in front of a van with an awning over it. Among the group are people wearing Surrey Police-branded outfits. At the forefront stand Commissioner Lisa Townsend, who wears yellow trousers, and Deputy Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson, who is in jeans. To their left is Borough Commander Matt Walton, who wears a shirt and tie. All of those in the image are standing on a field. They are all looking at the camera and smiling.

Students have a field day as officers join teams for Spelthorne’s annual Cop Cup

Posted on | by Alex Winter

Dozens of students from Spelthorne schools faced off for the second annual Cop Cup at Halliford School in Shepperton during June.

The contest, organised by the Safer Neighbourhood Team, sees officers and PCSOs from across the borough joining pupils’ teams for a series of games.

As well as the competition for the trophy, young people who are currently in Year 9 had the opportunity to take part in a range of activities, including tug of war competitions and sporting challenges organised by Active Surrey.

Brentford FC also attended to chat to attendees and hand out kit, and officers involved in conflict training gave demonstrations with riot shields and fake ‘pepper spray’.

The event aims to help build relationships and trust between Surrey Police teams and students, as well as diverting young people away from crime.

Relationship building

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend and Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson enjoyed the final game, which saw Halliford pupils facing off against students from Thomas Knyvett in Ashford.

Thomas Knyvett’s team eventually lifted the trophy, which was presented by the Deputy Commissioner.

Spelthorne’s Borough Commander Matt Walton then gave a speech to commemorate the day before students boarded buses back to school.

Lisa said: “It is such a pleasure for Ellie and I to join events like these.

“Every student was polite and well-mannered, and I hope they all had a fantastic time.

“Such a pleasure”

“Officers and PCSOs enjoyed the opportunity to chat to young people and help break down some barriers.

“Their work today will build relationships that I believe will last long into the future.

“We saw some truly sportsmanlike behaviour, and I’d like to thank everyone who gave their time to make the event as wonderful as it was.

“I look forward to joining the current Year 8s next year.”

“One life lost is one life too many”: Commissioner unveils new knife crime strategy during week of action

Posted on | by Alex Winter

A NEW strategy to tackle knife crime in Surrey will focus on working with communities to prevent offending. 

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend joined officers on patrol in Walton-on-Thames, Elmbridge this week as part of Op Sceptre, a national knife crime awareness week.  

During the initiative, Lisa launched the knife crime strategy for Surrey. The strategy, which is the work of the Surrey Serious Violence Reduction Partnership, lays out the blueprint for tackling offending in the county. 

It will follow the ‘four Es’ – engagement, education, effective intervention and enforcement. 

As part of the strategy, police and partners will speak with the public, work with those who legally sell knives to encourage responsible retail and engage with children and young people. 

Knife crime rates in Surrey are at around half of the national average. In the year to September 2024, 496 serious knife crime offences were reported, compared to an average of 1,265 nationally. 

Research by the Youth Endowment Fund shows that most of those who carry blades are male and aged between 11 and 20. Many are motivated by peer pressure or a fear of knife crime. 

However, those who carry a knife are more likely to be seriously injured or killed than those who don’t. 

The Commissioner said: “One life lost to knife crime is one life too many. 

“Surrey remains one of the safest places to live in the country. 

“But knife crime is still ruining lives, and we cannot afford to be complacent. Any crime involving a knife or blade can have the gravest of consequences. 

“One life lost is one too many”

“Those who carry knives are often under the dangerous misconception that by doing so, they are better-protected. 

“However, this is not borne out by the evidence, which shows that they are significantly more likely to become a victim of knife crime. 

“Once a conflict escalates, a knife can turn what was a minor disagreement into something far more frightening, serious, and even life-threatening. 

“During my visits to Surrey schools, I have become aware of the real fear young people have of knife crime – a perception created partly through social media. 

Strategy launches

“This constant exposure to weapons can have a real impact, and part of Op Sceptre, and of the new strategy, is to work with children and young people to help them understand the reality of the situation in Surrey. 

“During my shift on patrol in Elmbridge, the team made unannounced visits to those who are known to be carrying knives regularly, patrolled busy areas in the town centre, and used ‘spotters’ to flag signs of suspicious behaviour. 

“PCSOs also travelled on trains throughout the borough to speak with passengers, and I thank the British Transport Police for their support. 

“Report it” plea

“Work like this is crucial in reassuring communities and educating those who are tempted to carry a knife. 

“If you are aware of someone who carries a blade, I would urge you to report it to Surrey Police, or – if you would prefer to remain anonymous – to Crimestoppers. 

“We must all work together to keep the county safe.” 

Image shows a WhatsApp screen with three emojis in the text bar - an 8-ball, a snowflake and a rocket. Below the images is the typing pad.

8-ball emojis and the promise of money: How children are being drawn into county lines gangs

Posted on | by Alex Winter

CHILDREN are being recruited into county lines drug dealing gangs by criminals aided by the use a “new” form of language that parents won’t necessarily recognise, Surrey’s Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner says.

In an interview on BBC Radio Surrey, Ellie Vesey-Thompson said young people exploited by gangs to ferry drugs are often communicating using emojis.

Surrey Police has previously warned that some emojis – such as the snowflake, the 8-ball and the rocket – are code for drug use.

But Ellie said there is support available for children and young people at risk, and highlighted the work of Catch22.



“It saved my life”

The service’s Farnham-based Music To My Ears programme, which has been fully-funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, has so far supported more than 800 vulnerable young people.

One of its clients, 17-year-old ‘Dylan’, was dealing drugs at 13 after being recruited by a gang. Speaking to the BBC, he said the “easiest way” for gangs to contact young people is through family and friends.

“Once [that person is] approached, they get the whole friend group,” he said.

“Money is the world – you need that for food, heating, your mum’s debt. That’s your mum not crying.”

  • You can listen to the BBC Surrey interviews here from 2:06:49 (available until June 11 2025)

Children exploited

Ellie told the BBC: “Often children and vulnerable victims don’t realise they’ve been groomed and they are being exploited.

“They might get dragged in by the promise of money, or even the latest trainers.

“They’re attracted to what they perceive, and what those criminals present as, quite a glamorous lifestyle, and nowadays with advances in technology, it’s so much easier to contact young people without even their parents necessarily knowing.

“They’ve got that phone device in their pocket and use things like Snapchat, Instagram, and then they use this whole other language through emojis that parents might not instantly recognise even if they are checking phones.”

OPCC funding

Ellie said the prevention work of organisations like Catch22 is essential.

Young clients do not need to be involved in criminality to access support. Often, children and young people are referred by police, schools and social services because it is feared they are vulnerable to exploitation.

Over the past four years, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has committed almost £400,000 to Music To My Ears. Clients have the opportunity to explore music production, photography, film-making and writing. 

The programme offers voluntary attendance, meaning clients cannot be compelled to attend. However, many continue to work with the programme for months or years. 

New offence

Ellie said: “Many young people who are using Catch22 – which is a brilliant project – they may have committed crime, but they don’t necessarily have to have committed offences to be referred.

“They are at risk.”

The Government has recently introduced a new offence and prevention orders to tackle child criminal exploitation, which will target adults who exploit children into criminal activity.

Ellie told the BBC: “The best thing we can always do for victims, whether it’s children or adults, is stop them becoming victims in the first place.”

Three people stand in a studio. On the left, a man stands with his hands by his sides. Sitting to his left is a young person with his back to the camera. Next, and in the middle of the standing group, is Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend, who has her hand on the back of a chair. A woman stands with her hands clasped to Lisa's left hand side.

Commissioner Lisa Townsend, standing second from the right, met the team from Catch22 at their Farnham base in February

Campaign to prevent “widespread” issue of youth-produced sexual images to be rolled out in Surrey’s schools

Posted on | by Alex Winter

A CAMPAIGN to prevent children and young people asking their peers for sexual images will now be available for use by schools in Surrey.

“Ok To Ask?” launched on social media in March 2024 with a series of short video clips depicting teenagers responding to pressure from their peers to share or request nudes.

The campaign, led by Surrey Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), actively involved young people throughout the research and development phases. It was designed to initiate thought, challenge perceptions, and empower young people to reject harmful behaviour while supporting their peers.

Now, a teaching and learning resource developed by Surrey Healthy Schools in partnership with the OPCC will ensure the initiative can be used as a cornerstone of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) classes across the county.

Funding for both initiatives was secured by the OPCC from the Home Office’s What Works Fund in 2022. The former Government granted £1million to provide a package of support for young people to help combat violence against women and girls.

The funding supported both the Ok To Ask? campaign and specialist training for PSHE leads in schools and a host of professionals in Surrey to develop life skills and support their health and wellbeing.

As the project draws to an end, Surrey Healthy Schools has developed a package of teaching and learning resources for children in Key Stages three to five.

This includes guidance on facilitating effective PSHE lessons with a focus on digital safety, assessment guidance and activities, three lesson plans, and advice for teachers.

Schools boost

Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Lisa Townsend, said: “Youth-produced sexual imagery is a widespread issue across the country, and has considerable risks for young people.

“We want to challenge perceptions that it should be considered just a ‘normal’ part of teenage life and provide support for those who might be in a situation where they are under pressure to do so.

“Nearly a third of all sexual images of children found online are youth-produced, showing how harmful this behaviour can be.

“The crime of ‘sextortion’ – a form of blackmail using sexual images for gain – is rising in the county. Supporting young people with making decisions and understanding the impact of these is an important part of preventing this harm.

‘Insightful’

“The Force’s primary aim will be to safeguard young people, but it is also a crime to take, make, show or possess indecent images of any person below the age of 18. That is true even if the person with those images is also under 18.

“Ok To Ask? has been hugely successful, with millions of views, and we are determined to work alongside young people to support them in navigating some of these challenging issues.

“I’m delighted that my brilliant Commissioning team were able to secure funding for this crucial project, and that Surrey Police, working closely with young people from across the county, have produced such an insightful campaign.”

For more information, or to access the resources, visit the Surrey Healthy Schools website. Parents and carers can also access support via the Ok To Ask? homepage.   

“Ok To Ask?” launched in March 2024 with a series of short video clips depicting teenagers responding to pressure from their peers to share or request nudes. The campaign, which actively involved young people throughout the research and development phases, was designed to trigger thought, challenge perceptions, and empower young people to reject harmful behaviour while supporting their peers.

The digital performance of the “Ok To Ask?” campaign is extremely promising, with more than six million impressions to our target audiences. But, when evaluating the success of a digital campaign aimed at behaviour change, particularly one encouraging young people to reflect on their beliefs and attitudes, the metrics of success differ from traditional campaigns focused on clicks and sales. Success isn’t about immediate transactional outcomes but about deep, reflective engagement with the content. And that’s where you come in…

The “Ok To Ask?” campaign has proven to be both impactful and effective, sparking conversations among young people about consent, boundaries, and respect, but we need these conversations to continue to create meaningful change.
Surrey's Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend stands beside a large blue sign that reads 'Welcome to Surrey Police headquarters'. Her hands are clasped and she is smiling at the camera. Lisa is wearing pink trousers and a green long-sleeved top.

“Back-to-basics policing is the cornerstone”: Commissioner launches new Police and Crime Plan for Surrey

Posted on | by Alex Winter

SURREY’S Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend has unveiled a new blueprint for policing in the county over the next three years.

The Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan sets out the priorities she wants Surrey Police to concentrate on during the rest of her current term of office, which ends in 2028.

The Plan features a focus on ‘back to basics’ policing, preventing violence against women and girls, protecting Surrey’s most vulnerable residents, and ensuring the accountability, integrity and wellbeing of the Force’s officers and staff.

It was created following an extensive consultation period where nearly 3,000 residents gave their views, together with community groups, businesses, partners and victims’ services.

Police and Crime Commissioners are required to produce a Police and Crime Plan every four years and it will form the basis upon which Lisa holds the Chief Constable to account for the policing service Surrey Police provide.

Surrey Police is one of the fastest-improving forces in the country having more than doubled its charge rate in the past 12 months, with an additional 3,500 offences prosecuted.

Charges for burglary, assault, retail crime, rape and child abuse have significantly increased, and an additional 2,500 arrests have been made across all crime types.

But the Commissioner said there are challenges ahead. The Force has to find around £18million in savings over the next four years, while criminal justice delays are putting additional pressure on victims’ services.

The Force is also facing increasing demand on ‘hidden’ crime, such as domestic abuse, fraud, and the online exploitation of children, which target some of the most vulnerable people in Surrey.



Force among fastest-improving

Lisa said: “My mission as your Police and Crime Commissioner is clear.

“I want Surrey Police to focus on tackling those crimes that blight our local communities, while also taking persistent offenders off our streets.

“I promised that we would return to a ‘back to basics’ approach to policing, and this pledge forms the cornerstone of my Police and Crime Plan.

“Fighting crime, getting tough on offenders, and protecting Surrey’s most vulnerable residents must be at the heart of the Force’s priorities in the coming years.

“We carried out extensive consultation with residents, community groups, business leaders and victims’ services, as well as hosting 12 in-person and online Policing Your Community events over the autumn and winter.



‘Back to basics’

“I have heard loud and clear what those who live and work in Surrey want to see their policing teams do in our communities and they are making great progress.

“Surrey Police is one of the fastest-improving forces in the country, with 3,500 additional charges across all crime types in 12 months, as well as 2,500 more arrests.

“Charges for some of the crime types that are particularly important to residents, such as child abuse, burglary and retail crime, have dramatically improved.

“It is crucial that this fantastic progress is sustained so we can continue taking the fight to criminals who seek to gain a foothold in our communities.

“Surrey remains a wonderful place in which to live and work, and I am committed to working with the Chief Constable to deliver on the priorities outlined in my Plan.”

Three people stand in a studio. On the left, a man stands with his hands by his sides. Sitting to his left is a young person with his back to the camera. Next, and in the middle of the standing group, is Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend, who has her hand on the back of a chair. A woman stands with her hands clasped to Lisa's left hand side.

“It literally saved my life”: Meet the team using music and photography to prevent child exploitation

Posted on | by Alex Winter

SURREY’S Police and Crime Commissioner has told of her pride after visiting a service that helps criminally exploited children to reshape their lives. 

Lisa Townsend joined staff from Catch22 at their base in Farnham during February to celebrate their work with vulnerable young people. 

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) is the sole funder of Catch22’s Music To My Ears programme, which allows clients to explore music production, photography, film-making and writing. 

Over the past four years, almost £400,000 has been committed to the programme through the OPCC. 

Commissioner’s pride

Young people who have been exploited and used by county lines drug dealing operations, have previously gone missing in Surrey, or have been involved in serious violence are among those to attend the service. 

Music To My Ears offers voluntary attendance, meaning clients cannot be compelled to attend. However, many continue to work with the programme for months or years. 

During her visit, Lisa met with a teenager who is now attending a prestigious music college, four years after first coming to the service for support. 

Other clients say Music To My Ears has pulled them out of criminality, with one telling the team: “It has literally saved my life.” 

Currently, Catch22 are working on a one-to-one basis with around 80 young people between the ages of 10 and 18 in Surrey. They are also presenting to Surrey’s magistrates to raise awareness of the programme as an alternative intervention that may prevent criminality altogether. 

“It saved my life”

Lisa said: “We cannot know how many crimes have not been committed because of the team’s intervention, or how many young people have not entered the prison system in the first place through their work. 

“But it is clear the Catch22 team are changing the lives of young people in Surrey. 

“During my visit to Music To My Ears, I met with a young person who has changed his own life with the service’s support, and is now a promising musician at a fantastic college.

“There’s a wonderful future ahead of him because of the support he was able to access through Catch22.

Changing lives

“The programme is completely voluntary – young people create their own care plan, and can stay, or leave, as they wish. 

“This gives them an agency that they may never have felt and empowers them to make choices that can shape their lives. 

“Those who have been groomed or exploited can learn that it is not their fault, that help is out there, and that there are adults who will support them to break free from criminality. 

“I am so proud to fund the programme.” 

For more information, visit catch-22.org.uk 

On left, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson, and on right, Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend. Both are standing in front of a Christmas tree and wearing red. They are holding up a Christmas card with a hand-drawn snowman picture on the front.

Commissioner and Deputy step into Christmas with festive design by seven-year-old from Reigate

Posted on | by Alex Winter

Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner and her Deputy have sent out their Christmas cards – which feature a festive illustration drawn by a seven-year-old boy from East Surrey.

Lisa Townsend and Ellie Vesey-Thompson invited children from across the county to submit artwork for their 2024 card.

The winning design was sent in by Felix Taylor, who lives in Reigate. Felix decided to post the Commissioner his drawing after his school shared news of the competition in a weekly parent communication email.

He will enjoy his prize – a family trip to Bocketts Farm – with his brother and sister, five-year-old twins Edith and Oscar.

Mum Jennifer said Felix gets his love of art from his grandad, and the two often spend time drawing together.

It’s the third time Lisa and Ellie have asked young artists to send in their work for the Christmas card, and the first time the competition has been opened to the public.

For the past two years, children supported by services commissioned by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner were asked to submit their designs.

Last year’s photograph was taken by a young person supported by charity Catch22, which works with those affected by criminal exploitation. The previous year, the wining artwork was sent in by I Choose Freedom, which provides refuge to women and children escaping harm.

Festive cheer

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has a fund of £275,000 specifically for initiatives and organisations that support children and young people in the 2024/25 financial year.

Lisa said: “It is a real privilege to serve everyone living in this wonderful county.

“I’m very proud of the work that is done by my office and our brilliant partners, and I look forward to achieving more for residents in 2025.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank those who work for Surrey Police for their tireless efforts to keep us all safe, and to wish everyone a very happy Christmas and new year.”

Ellie said: “We both absolutely loved Felix’s festive design, and he was our clear winner.

“On the back of this year’s card, we’ve shared the best ways to contact Surrey Police – so we expect that this card will still be stuck to fridges around the county long into next year!”

A lovely snowman design by Reigate schoolboy Felix, seven, is the winner of this year's Christmas card competition

A lovely snowman design by Reigate schoolboy Felix, seven, is the winner of this year’s Christmas card competition

Poll of 1,500 young people reveals the crime and policing issues that matter most to Surrey’s youth

Posted on | by Alex Winter

Surrey’s young people have spoken on the crime and policing priorities that impact them most as part of a forum funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey.

Safety at night-time, healthy relationships, sexual exploitation, trust in the police and anti-social behaviour are among the key issues for young people living in the county, a poll of around 1,500 people has revealed.

The results were revealed by members of the Surrey Youth Commission at a wide-ranging forum held in Woking in September.

Attendees at the Big Conversation Conference included officers from both Surrey Police and British Transport Police, Surrey’s Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson, and representatives from a range of key agencies including local authorities and charities.

Both Ellie and Lisa Townsend, Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner, chose to fund the Youth Commission in order to help put youth voice at the heart of policing in the county.

Applications to join the third year of the Youth Commission, which is organised and administered by Leaders Unlocked, are now being accepted.

For more information, visit surrey-pcc.gov.uk/funding/surrey-youth-commission

The closing date for applications is November 22.

Ellie, who opened and closed the Big Conversation Conference, said: “Our brilliant Youth Commission members have provided us all an invaluable snapshot into the thoughts and feelings of young people in Surrey.

“Their priorities help us to better understand issues that matter most to them and their peers, from age groups who I know often feel as if their opinions go unheard.

“I want to thank every single Youth Commissioner, as well as everyone who shared their thoughts and priorities.

“They should be incredibly proud of the work they have achieved with their carefully-considered recommendations for policing, for our office, and for all of us working to support children and young people. I am certainly proud of them.

Young people share their priorities for police

“We will soon open applications once again, and I encourage young people who want to help shape the future of policing in Surrey to get in touch.” 

Kaytea Budd-Brophy, Senior Manager at Leaders Unlocked, said: “I am hugely proud of the Surrey Youth Commission members, who have been an amazing group of young people to work with.

“The members have worked tirelessly at the peer-to-peer engagement, reaching out to larger number of young people through the Big Conversation to explore the root causes and tangible solutions to the issues that young people in Surrey tell us they face.“

“We are absolutely delighted and excited to be starting to working with the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, Ellie Vesey-Thompson, for a third year.”

A report on the latest recommendations from the Youth Commission will be available during the winter.

Members of the Surrey Youth Commission are pictured with Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson, in red