Category: Local policing

police with blue lights on at night

Updated statement from Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend following incident in Staines-upon-Thames

Posted on | by Surrey PCC

Following the incident that took place in Staines-upon-Thames on Friday night, I have been in regular contact with senior officers from Surrey Police who have kept me updated on the situation.

I fully appreciate the distress and strength of feeling this incident has caused and the understandable concern of both the local community and the wider public.

Surrey Police has made an internal referral to its Professional Standards Department and have also referred the matter to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) for independent consideration.

I am confident this is absolutely the right course of action to follow. Whilst I appreciate the public want answers about the events of Friday night and the circumstances leading up to it, I would continue to ask that everyone allows time for this to be properly reviewed.

Surrey Police has vowed to ensure this matter is diligently investigated so that a full understanding of what took place and why can be properly established. I would like to reassure Surrey residents that in my key role of holding the Force to account, my office will be scrutinising that process to ensure it is thorough and robust. I am also committed to fully supporting any investigation by the IOPC and will be closely monitoring any developments in this case.

Lisa Townsend
Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey

logo of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey on deep blue background

Commissioner’s statement after incident involving cow in Staines-upon-Thames

Posted on | by Surrey PCC

Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Lisa Townsend, has issued a statement following an incident involving a loose cow in Staines-upon-Thames on the evening of Friday, June 14.

The Commissioner said: “I am aware of the incident involving a cow in the Staines area last night and Surrey Police’s decision to voluntarily refer their handling of this incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). 

“I understand the concern that this has caused both in the local community and beyond and that many people are worried about the welfare of the animal involved. The cow is being treated by a vet and receiving care and like everyone, I hope that she makes a full recovery.

“There is much speculation on social media, which does not necessarily reflect the situation, which was ongoing for a number of hours, or the difficult decisions facing officers on the ground at the time.

“I agree the Force were right to opt for a self referral in this instance, and I know they are also thoroughly evaluating the incident internally.

“I would ask everyone to allow time for this to be properly reviewed rather than speculating and causing unnecessary additional stress and concern within the community. 

“I am receiving regular updates from chief officers and will continue to monitor the ongoing situation.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend

Five new CCTV cameras in Walton will tackle illegal parking and anti-social behaviour

Posted on | by Alex Winter

Five new mobile CCTV cameras will be installed in Walton next week in a bid to crack down on anti-social behaviour, illegal parking and street drinking.

The cameras were financed through the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund, which was secured by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, in partnership with Elmbridge Borough Council and Surrey Police.

They will be installed in Ashley Park, Cowey Sale, Ambleside Avenue, Hepworth Way and the Drewitts Court car park during the week commencing May 27.

Walton was granted a total of £273,000. The funding will also pay for youth outreach programmes and additional security measures in the Drewitts Court car park, including speed bumps, anti-graffiti and urine paint, and improved lighting.

Improvements will also be made to the community garden at the St John’s estate.

As well as deterring rowdy or inconsiderate behaviour, illegal parking and street drinking, the cameras will be used to provide video evidence to Surrey Police, Surrey County Council and the Elmbridge Borough Council environmental enforcement team.

The installation of the cameras is also supported by local businesses, Surrey Police and Surrey County Council. It follows the recent extension of the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for parts of Walton-on-Thames.

Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “Safer Streets is a fantastic initiative that is making a real difference to the lives of residents in Walton.

Tackling issues ‘head-on’

“Since I was first elected as Surrey’s Commissioner, I have spoken with thousands of residents and listened to their thoughts about policing in their communities.

“I know that anti-social behaviour and neighbourhood crime are key issues for those who live in Walton, and this funding allows us to tackle some of these issues head-on.”

Councillor Kirsty Hewens, Portfolio Holder for Enterprise, Parking and Local Economy, said: “We want our residents and visitors to not only feel safe in Elmbridge but to take pride in our towns, parks and green spaces.

“Having these mobile cameras will act as a deterrent against street drinking, littering and illegal parking, allowing everyone to enjoy our borough.”

Dozens of arrests amid Redhill crime crackdown funded by Surrey Commissioner

Posted on | by Alex Winter

A partnership initiative to improve safety in Redhill has resulted in 54 arrests along with the recovery of drugs, cash and knives.

Surrey Police’s targeted activity is part of a comprehensive community plan to reduce crime and help foster pride in the town centre.   

Earlier this year, Surrey Police, Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner and YMCA East Surrey announced they had joined forces with local partners to address crime and anti-social behaviour in Redhill.

This action followed a survey for residents and visitors to the town which highlighted community concerns around anti-social behaviour (ASB), drugs, shoplifting and violent crime.

Over the past six months, partners have been developing and implementing measures to reduce crime in Redhill. The project adopts the College of Policing’s ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ framework, which brings together police, partners and the community to disrupt serious and organised crime and importantly, sustain a reduction in criminal behaviour.

This is a three-phased approach where targeted disruptions aim to ‘clear’ offenders from Redhill, followed by sustained intervention to ‘hold’ the area free from crime. The ‘build’ phase focuses on preventative work, driven by the community, to address the root causes of ASB and crime in the town.

As part of this initiative, Surrey Police is conducting proactive operations within Redhill to target and remove criminals operating in the town. This is some of the police activity that has taken place over the past two months:

  • 54 arrests for offences including drugs, drink driving, assault, shoplifting, going equipped for burglary and immigration offences.
  • 20 people charged and 39 community resolutions for lower-level offences.
  • 200+ searches with 26 drug seizures, along with the recovery of £17,700 in cash and seven knives.
  • Joint operations at Redhill train station with British Transport Police and rail enforcement officers to target county lines drug dealing.
  • Night-time patrols of the town centre with plain clothed behaviour detection officers to identify suspicious or predatory behaviour.
  • Work with local businesses to conduct days of action focused on stopping shoplifters.
  • 11 joint licensing visits with Reigate and Banstead Borough Council to support premises in keeping patrons safe.
  • Patrols of the surrounding road network to disrupt criminals and target driving offences.
  • Regular community engagement in the town centre and with local schools.

Reigate and Banstead Borough Commander Inspector Jon Vale said: “This initiative is about reducing crime in Redhill for the long-term.

“Surrey remains the fourth safest county in the UK, but from speaking with residents, we know there are concerns about specific patterns of behaviour within the town.

“It’s important that we are challenging all levels of criminality, as often it can be through disrupting offences such as anti-social behaviour and shoplifting we can see the links, and look to prevent, serious and organised crime in the area.

“The increase in arrests reflects the targeted operations taking place in Redhill and I want to reassure residents that it’s this activity that is helping us to identify and root out criminal behaviour.

Crime crackdown

“The collaborative effort from partners and the community has been fantastic, and the sustained work on measures within the community I hope will have a lasting impact.”

Safer Redhill is supported by funding secured through the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, including £265,000 of Safer Streets funding and £58,000 from the Community Safety Fund.

Surrey Police is working closely with Reigate and Banstead Borough Council and YMCA East Surrey to implement some of the measures made possible through this funding which support the ‘hold’ and ‘build’ phase of the project, such as a new youth bus.

Council leader Councillor Richard Biggs said: “It’s exciting to be part of Safer Redhill, which is bringing partners together to take pride in the town centre and make sure everyone can enjoy the many great things Redhill has to offer safely.

Dozens of arrests

“Our community safety, enforcement, licencing and cleansing teams are all working closely with the police and YMCA youth workers to address both the causes and effects of anti-social behaviour and crime.

“The response from local businesses, the Redhill Business Guild and community organisations has been amazing.

“My thanks go to all involved in this project and I want to encourage people living in or visiting Redhill to get involved too and report any concerns they may have.”

Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Lisa Townsend, joined officers in Redhill on Thursday to observe an operation to target shoplifting in the town.

‘Redhill is a hostile place for criminals’

She said: “Our local police teams are working incredibly hard to ensure Redhill is a hostile place for criminals, so I am delighted to see this the impact this targeted action is having in the town.

“Initiatives like Clear, Hold, Build show just how important close partnership working is for agencies to identify problems and tackle them effectively them for the benefit of our local communities.

“I know that anti-social behaviour, violence, drug dealing and shoplifting have been key issues that have blighted the town centre and we are determined to drive this sort of criminality out of Redhill.

“I hope the sustained activity will continue to make the area a safer place for local residents and help restore pride in where they live.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend standing outside Sainsbury's in Redhill town centre

“We’re acting on your concerns,” newly re-elected Commissioner says as she joins officers for crime crackdown in Redhill

Posted on | by Alex Winter

SURREY’S newly re-elected Police and Crime Commissioner joined police amid a crackdown on criminals in Redhill – and told residents: “We are acting on your concerns.”

Lisa Townsend, who received 95,538 votes from the Surrey public in last week’s elections, has vowed to continue supporting “back to basics” policing in Surrey.

Yesterday, the Commissioner joined Reigate and Banstead police officers for a targeted operation to tackle shoplifting in Redhill. It came less than 24 hours after officers from both Surrey Police and British Transport Police targeted drug dealers at Redhill Railway Station.

The campaign is part of Clear, Hold, Build, a new initiative that targets criminals, ‘clearing’ them from crime hotspots. Police then ‘hold’ these areas to ensure offenders aren’t able to return. 

Lisa has contributed almost £60,000 from her Community Safety Fund to support Clear, Hold, Build in Redhill. 

As part of the programme’s ‘build’ phase, a further £265,000 in Home Office Safer Streets funding secured by Lisa, Reigate and Banstead Council and Surrey Police, will be used for town centre improvements, youth outreach and anti-social behaviour training. 

The Force has committed to a renewed focus on issues that matter most to residents, including anti-social behaviour, shoplifting and targeting persistent offenders. 

The Commissioner said: “Over the past three years, I have listened to the views of thousands of residents in Surrey on the policing service they receive. 

“I know the public want officers doing the job only they can – investigating and solving crime and taking offenders off our streets. 

“That’s why initiatives like Clear, Hold, Build are so important. 

“Both the Chief Constable and I are committed to tackling all criminal activity in our county.

“Using community-led intelligence, officers are making this town a hostile place for criminals and trouble-makers.

“Operations like these clear offenders from often-targeted locations, and an increased police presence deters these criminals from returning. 

“Working alongside our partners at Reigate and Banstead Council, we can then focus on crime prevention to ensure the community feels safe. 

“The ‘build’ phase of the programme is funded in part by the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund, which was achieved thanks to close partnership working with both the local authority and the Force. 

“Shoplifting, anti-social behaviour, vandalism and drug dealing have a real impact on Surrey residents, and we are determined to bring down offenders and support those who have suffered harm. 

“I have heard what Redhill residents want, and we are acting on their concerns.” 

  Surrey Police will issue an update on Clear, Hold, Build next week.

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend watches from a front door as Surrey Police officers execute a warrant at a property linked to possible county lines drug dealing.

Policing Your Community – Commissioner says police teams are taking the fight to drug gangs after joining county lines crackdown

Posted on | by James Smith

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend said officers will continue the battle to drive drug gangs out of Surrey after she joined Surrey Police teams cracking down on ‘county lines’ criminality.

The Force and partner agencies carried out targeted operations across the county last week to disrupt the activities of criminal networks dealing drugs in our communities.

County lines is the name given to activity by highly organised criminal networks using phone lines to facilitate the supply of class A drugs – such as heroin and crack cocaine.

Drugs and drug related crime was one of the key issues that residents raised during the Commissioner’s recent ‘Policing Your Community’ roadshow in which she teamed up with the Chief Constable to hold in-person and online events in all 11 boroughs across the county.

It was also one of the top three priorities that those who filled in the Commissioner’s council tax survey this winter said they wanted to see Surrey Police focus on over the next year.

On Tuesday, the Commissioner joined a pro-active patrol in Stanwell including covert officers and the passive dog unit. And on Thursday she joined early morning raids in the Spelthorne and Elmbridge areas that targeted suspected dealers, supported by the specialist Force’s Child Exploitation and Missing Unit.

The Commissioner said these types of operations send a strong message to those gangs that police will continue to take the fight to them and dismantle their networks in Surrey.

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend watches as Surrey Police officers carry out a warrant

During the week, officers made 21 arrests and seized drugs including cocaine, cannabis and crystal methamphetamine. They also recovered a large number of mobile phones suspected of being used to coordinate drug deals and seized over £30,000 in cash.

7 warrants were executed as officers disrupted so called ‘county lines’, accompanied by activity throughout the week to safeguard more than 30 young or vulnerable people.

In addition, police teams across the county were out in communities raising awareness of the issue, including accompanying the CrimeStoppers ad van at several locations, engaging with students at 24 schools and visiting hotels and landlords, taxi firms and gyms and sport centres in Surrey.

Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “County lines criminality continues to be a threat to our communities and the kind of action we saw last week highlights how our police teams are taking the fight to those organised gangs.

“These criminal networks seek to exploit and groom young and vulnerable people to act as couriers and dealers and often use violence to control them.

“Drugs and drug related crime were one of the top three priorities residents who filled in our recent council tax survey told me they wanted to see Surrey Police tackling over the coming year.

“So I am delighted to have been out with our policing teams this week to see first-hand the kind of targeted police intervention that is taking place to disrupt the activities of these county lines networks and drive them out of our county.

“We all have a part to play in that and I would ask our communities in Surrey to remain vigilant to any suspicious activity that could be related to drug dealing and report it immediately.

“Equally, if you know of anyone being exploited by these gangs – please pass that information to police, or anonymously to CrimeStoppers, so that action can be taken.”

You can report crime to Surrey Police on 101, at surrey.police.uk or on any official Surrey Police social media page. You can also report any suspicious activity you witness using the Force’s dedicated Suspicious Activity Portal.

Alternatively, information can be given anonymously to CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.

Anyone who is concerned about a child should contact Surrey Children’s Services Single Point of Contact by calling 0300 470 9100 (9am-5pm Monday to Friday) or by email to: cspa@surreycc.gov.uk

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend sat with a member of Surrey Police contact staff

Commissioner hails dramatic improvement in 999 and 101 call answering times – as best results on record are achieved

Posted on | by Alex Winter

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend has hailed the dramatic improvement in how long it takes Surrey Police to answer calls for help after new figures revealed that current waiting times are the lowest on record.

The Commissioner said that in the last five months, Surrey Police has seen sustained progress in how quickly callers to the 999 and non-emergency 101 numbers are able to speak to contact centre staff.

The latest data shows that, as of this February, 97.8 per cent of 999 calls were answered within the national target of 10 seconds. This compares to only 54% in March last year, and is the highest data on Force record.

Meanwhile, the average time in February that it took Surrey Police to answer calls to the non-emergency 101 number fell to 36 seconds, the lowest wait times on Force record. This compares to 715 seconds in March 2023.

The figures have this week been verified by Surrey Police. In January 2024, the Force answered almost 93 per cent of 999 calls within ten seconds, BT has verified.

In January 2024, the Force answered almost 93 per cent of 999 calls within ten seconds. The February figures have been confirmed by the Force, and awaiting verification from call provider BT.

In December last year, a report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire Services (HMICFRS) highlighted concerns around the service residents receive when they contact police on 999, 101 and digital 101.

Inspectors visited Surrey Police during the summer as part of their Police Effectiveness, Efficiency and Legitimacy (PEEL) review. They rated the Force’s performance in responding to the public as ‘inadequate’ and said improvements were needed.

The Commissioner and the Chief Constable also heard residents’ experiences of contacting Surrey Police during the recent ‘Policing Your Community’ roadshow where in-person and online events were held in all 11 boroughs across the county.

Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “I know from speaking to residents that being able to get hold of Surrey Police when you need them is absolutely vital.

Lowest wait times on record

“Unfortunately there were times last year when residents calling 999 and 101 were not always getting the service they deserved and this was a situation that urgently needed to be addressed.

“I know how frustrating it has been for some people trying to get through, particularly to the non-emergency 101 during busy times.

“I have spent a lot of time in our contact centre seeing how our call handlers deal with the varied and often challenging calls they receive and they do a phenomenal job.

“But staff shortages were putting an incredible strain on them and I know the Force have been working incredibly hard to improve the situation and the service our public receive.

“Phenomenal job”

“My office has been supporting them throughout that process so I am delighted to see that the answering times are the best they have ever been.

“That means that when our residents do need to contact Surrey Police, they are having their call answered quickly and efficiently.

“This has not been a quick fix – we have seen these improvements sustained over the last five months.

“With the measures now in place, I am confident going forward that Surrey Police will maintain this level of service when responding to the public.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend speaking at Policing your Community event in Woking

“We are listening” – Commissioner thanks residents as ‘Policing Your Community’ roadshow highlights priorities for Force

Posted on | by James Smith

Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Lisa Townsend has thanked residents for joining a series of ‘Policing your Community’ events held across the county this winter, saying that work by her office and Surrey Police is continuing to tackle the issues that matter most to local people.

Both in-person and online meetings were hosted by the Commissioner, the Chief Constable Tim De Meyer and the local policing commander in all 11 boroughs across Surrey between October and February.

Over 500 people took part and had the opportunity to pose their questions on policing where they live.

Visible policing, anti-social behaviour (ASB) and road safety emerged as top priorities for residents while burglary, shoplifting and contacting Surrey Police also featured as key issues they wanted to raise.

They said they wanted to see more police officers in their area carrying out work to prevent and support those affected by burglaries, theft and dangerous and anti-social driving.

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend speaking at Policing your Community event in Woking

In addition, more than 3,300 people completed the Commissioner’s council tax survey this year which asked residents to choose the three areas they most wanted the Force to focus on. Over half of those who responded said they were concerned about burglary and anti-social behaviour, followed by drugs and drug related crime and neighbourhood crime prevention. Around 1,600 people also added additional comments about policing in the survey.

The Commissioner said her message to Surrey residents was – ‘We are listening” and that the Chief’s new Plan for the Force is designed to take the fight to the criminals by relentlessly pursuing the most prolific offenders, tackling pockets of lawlessness and driving drug dealers and shoplifting gangs out of the county.

Anyone who missed the event for their area can watch the meeting back online here.

The Commissioner said over the coming weeks she will be highlighting some of the incredible work already being carried out by policing teams across the county and some of the projects her office is helping to fund to combat issues such as anti-social behaviour.

Since October, Surrey Police have seen improvements in the average time it takes to contact the Force and will be providing an update on this soon.

The Force have also seen improvements in the number of solved outcomes for serious violence, sexual offences and domestic abuse including stalking and controlling and coercive behaviour. A solved outcome represents a charge, caution, community resolution, or taken into consideration.

Following a 26% increase in shoplifting offences in 2023, Surrey Police are also working closely with retailers on a new way to report offences and have already carried out a major operation in December resulting in 20 arrests in a single day.

While the number of solved outcomes for domestic burglary have increased at a slower pace – this remains a key focus of the Force who are ensuring that officers attend every report of burglary in the county.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Lisa Townsend said: “Listening to the views of residents and being their representative is the single most important part of my role as Commissioner for our wonderful county.

“The ‘Policing Your Community’ events coupled with the feedback we received in my council tax survey has given us a really important insight into residents’ experiences of policing across our county and the issues that concern them.

“It is vital that the public have their say on policing where they live and my message to them is – we are listening.

“We know how important it is for people to feel safe in their communities so we must make sure that Surrey Police is taking the right action to tackle issues such anti-social behaviour, road safety and burglary. And we must ensure that people can contact Surrey Police quickly when they need them.

“Surrey remains one of the safest counties in the country and the Force is now the biggest it has ever been. This means there are more officers and staff than ever before to protect our communities from not only visible crime, but also ‘hidden’ harms like online fraud and exploitation that account for over a third of all offences.

“Over the coming weeks we will be highlighting some of the incredible work already being carried out day in, day out by our hard-working police teams across the county and some of the exciting projects coming up that I believe will make our communities even safer.”

Police and Crime Commissioner walking through graffiti covered tunnel with two male police officers from the local team in Spelthorne

Chief Constable for Surrey Police Tim De Meyer said: “I am so grateful to all those who attended the ‘Policing Your Community’ events. It was extremely useful to be able to explain our plans for policing Surrey, and to receive feedback from the public.

“People were very supportive of our plans to improve our response to violence against women and girls, and of our determination to prevent crime and pursue criminals relentlessly.

“We are acting immediately on concerns in respect of issues such as shoplifting and anti-social behaviour and have made good strides in many of the areas that matter most to those we are here to protect, in no small part thanks to the hard work of our officers and staff. I am sure that I shall be able to report good progress when we next meet with our communities.”

Surrey Police can be contacted by calling 101, via Surrey Police social media channels or at https://surrey.police.uk. In an emergency or if a crime is in progress – please call 999.

Police and Crime Commisisoner for Surrey Lisa Townsend standing outside the Surrey Police Contact Centre with 'Contact Centre' visible on building sign behind her.

Commissioner welcomes new report on Surrey Police and says the Force is making good progress on areas of concern

Posted on | by Alex Winter

SURREY’S Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend has welcomed an inspection report for Surrey Police and says she is confident that the Force has already made good progress to address areas of concern.

Issues around the service residents receive when they contact police on 999, 101 and digital 101 were highlighted in a report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire Services (HMICFRS), which was published today.

Inspectors visited Surrey Police during the summer to carry out a Police Effectiveness, Efficiency and Legitimacy (PEEL) review.

They recognised that the Force protects vulnerable people in the county, arrests most offenders quickly, and has a strong focus on guiding perpetrators away from crime.

However, concerns were raised over the length of time it takes for contacts made via 101 and 999 to be answered.

Surrey continues to have the fourth lowest overall crime rate in England and Wales, and remains the safest county in the south-east.

The Commissioner appointed new Chief Constable Tim De Meyer earlier this year, and said that under his leadership, significant improvements to contact are well underway.

The Commissioner said: “I’m really pleased to see that the Force is quick to bring offenders to justice, as well as diverting lower-level offenders away from a life of crime. The innovative ways Surrey Police protects residents and cuts reoffending, particularly through rehabilitation, has also been highlighted.

“The best thing for all potential victims is to prevent crime happening in the first place through the education and rehabilitation of perpetrators, where that is possible. That’s why I’m pleased that inspectors noted the vital role of our Checkpoint Plus service, a deferred prosecution scheme that has an average reoffending rate of 6.3 per cent, compared to 25 per cent for those not going through the scheme. I’m very proud to help fund this fantastic initiative.

“The HMICFRS report says improvements are needed when it comes to the public’s contact with Surrey Police, and I’m pleased to say that those issues are already well in-hand under the new Chief Constable.

“In November, we recorded the best performance for answering 101 calls since late 2020. The time taken to answer a non-emergency call to the Force has dropped by almost 84 per cent when compared with March this year.

“I have been meeting frequently with the Force’s gold groups established to tackle this particular issue, and we are now at a point where we can begin to move temporary contact staff back into their previous roles as contact centre staffing has improved.

“In addition, 88 per cent of 999 calls are now answered within 10 seconds, and call abandonment on 101 has dropped significantly.

“A key issue we are facing is the volume of calls that aren’t related to crime. Surrey Police figures show that fewer than one in five calls – around 18 per cent – is about a crime, and just under 38 per cent are marked as ‘public safety/welfare’.

“Correspondingly, in August, our officers spent more than 700 hours with people in mental health crisis – the highest number of hours ever recorded.

“Next year, we will roll out Right Care, Right Person in Surrey, which aims to ensure those suffering with their mental health are seen by the best person to support them. In most cases, this will be a medical professional. Across England and Wales, it’s estimated that the initiative will save one million hours of officers’ time a year.”

Inspectors also highlighted improvements that need to be made to the recording of crime, including some reports of serious sexual offences.  

The Commissioner, who has the reduction of violence against women and girls at the heart of her Police and Crime Plan, said: “Victims of these offences must get all the support they need, and their attackers brought to justice wherever possible.

“Reporting sexual violence to the police is an act of true courage, and the Chief Constable and I are committed to ensuring these survivors will always get the best from their police.

“Inspectors did confirm that Surrey Police is committed to reducing violence against women and girls, and they highlighted some of the programmes available for survivors that are supported by my office.

“I am reassured, as I hope residents will be, that the Chief Constable has made a commitment to ensure every crime reported to the Force is accurately recorded, that all reasonable lines of enquiry are followed, and that criminals are relentlessly pursued.

“There is work to be done, but I know how hard every officer and member of staff in Surrey Police works every day to keep residents safe. Every single one will be committed to making the improvements needed.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend

Commissioner secures £1m in government funding for projects to improve safety in three Surrey towns

Posted on | by Nathan Rees

Three communities in Surrey are set to receive a huge boost to their safety after Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend secured nearly £1m in the latest round of the government’s Safer Streets funding.

Projects in Walton, Redhill and Guildford will benefit from the Home Office cash after it was announced today that the proposals submitted for the county earlier this year by the Commissioner’s office have been successful.

Lisa said a number of planned measures will make all areas safer places to live and hailed the announcement as fantastic news for residents in those communities.

The grant is part of the fifth round of Safer Streets funding which has so far seen over £120m shared across England and Wales for projects to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour and make areas safer for women and girls.

£1m safety boost

Three bids totalling £992,232 were submitted by the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office after working together with Surrey Police and borough and district council partners to identify areas most in need of investment and support.

The projects will now benefit from around £330,000 each and will be further boosted by an additional £720,000 in match funding from partners involved.

In Walton Town and Walton North, the money will be used to tackle anti-social behaviour in public spaces, which includes everything from drug dealing and taking to vandalism and littering.

Extra CCTV will be installed and youth outreach programmes will be launched while the funding will also pay for security measures in the Drewitts Court car park, such as speed bumps, anti-climb paint and motion-sensor lighting. Improvements will also be made to the community garden at the St John’s estate.

In Redhill, the funding will focus on the town centre with measures to tackle anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls. It’ll pay for a Safe Space Hut as well as YMCA outreach activities for young people in the town, community engagement and an information campaign on anti-social behaviour.

Those in Guildford identified theft, criminal damage, assault and substance misuse as some of the key issues affecting their town centre. The funding will be used for street marshal patrols, youth engagement events and a multimedia stand that will beam up-to-date safety information to residents and visitors.

Previous Safer Streets funding has supported other similar projects across the county including in Woking, Stanwell, Godstone and Bletchingley, Epsom, Addlestone and Sunbury Cross.

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “Safer Streets is a fantastic initiative that is making a real difference to our communities in Surrey so I am delighted that three more of our towns are set to benefit from this £1m funding.

‘Fantastic initiative’

“Our residents regularly tell me they want to see anti-social behaviour and neighbourhood crime being tackled so this is really great news for those living and working in those areas.

“Whilst it is my office that submits the proposal to the Home Office, it is a real team effort together with Surrey Police and our colleagues in the borough and district councils to secure this funding which goes such a long way to improving safety for our residents.

“I will ensure my office continues to work with our partners to identify other areas that could benefit from this extra funding in the future.”

‘Delighted’

Ali Barlow, Surrey Police’s T/Assistant Chief Constable with responsibility for local policing, said: “I’m delighted that these bids were successful as we’ve seen through previous funding what a difference this support can make.

“Our neighbourhood policing teams already work closely with local authorities and other services to identify areas of concern in our communities and take appropriate action and this will only assist them further.

“The initiatives that are planned for Guildford, Redhill and Walton will help residents to be safe and feel safe as well as improve our public spaces which is something everyone will benefit from.”

Key interventions

Cllr Rod Ashford, Executive Member for Communities, Leisure and Culture at Reigate and Banstead Borough Council said: “This is good news.

“The Council is committed to tackling antisocial behaviour and violence against women and girls. We hope that this funding will go a long way in helping us continue the good work we are doing with the police and wider partners to improve community safety in Redhill.”

Councillor Bruce McDonald, Leader of Elmbridge Borough Council: “This is a great opportunity to address anti-social behaviour in Walton-on-Thames from crime prevention through environmental design to supporting young people and parents.

“We look forward to working together with a range of partners to deliver these key interventions.”