Category: National policing

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend and Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson standing in front of a Surrey Police car

Commissioner takes on major national role for transport safety

Posted on | by Alex Winter

SURREY’S Commissioner has taken on a major national role for transport safety – as she vowed to pursue greater penalties for those who put lives at risk while behind the wheel, on a bicycle, or astride an e-scooter.

Lisa Townsend is now the Association of Police and Crime Commissioner’s lead for roads policing and transport, which will encompass rail and maritime travel and road safety.

As part of the role, previously held by Sussex Commissioner Katy Bourne, Lisa will work to improve the safety of transport around the country. She will be supported by her Deputy, Ellie Vesey-Thompson, and looks to work closely with the British Transport Police.

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend and Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson standing in front of a Surrey Police car

Lisa said: “Keeping road users safe is already a key priority in my Police and Crime Plan. Surrey’s motorways are some of the most highly-used in Europe, and I am keenly aware of how important an issue this is to our residents.

“We are very lucky in Surrey to have two teams specifically dedicated to poor driving – the Roads Policing Unit and the Vanguard Road Safety Team, both of which aim to keep road users safe.

“But across the country, there is far more to be done on both roads and railways to keep British travellers safe.

“One of the most critical aspects of my remit will be dealing with distracted and dangerous driving, which is an appalling and unnecessary risk to take on any road.

“While most people are safe motorists, there are some who selfishly risk both their own lives and the lives of others. Members of the public have had enough of seeing those drivers flouting the laws created to protect them.

‘Appalling and unnecessary’

“There are many benefits to getting people out of their cars and onto bicycles instead, but not everyone feels safe using this mode of transport. Cyclists, as well as motorists, horse riders and pedestrians, have a responsibility to observe the Highway Code.

“In addition, e-scooters have become a blight in many communities around the country in recent years.

“According to recent Department for Transport data, collisions involving e-scooters in the UK almost tripled within just a year between 2020 and 2021.

“More must clearly be done to prevent harm to the public.”

Commissioner’s new role

Ellie said: “Pedestrians are the most vulnerable cohort to use Britain’s streets, and we are determined to do all we can to put an end to activities that threaten their safety.

“This remit will allow both Lisa and I to apply pressure to a range of issues, from a system that allows thousands of people to legally drive with more than 12 points on their licence, to the sex offenders who target their victims on London’s Tube network.

“Safe travel is important to every member of the public, and we are determined to make some real and lasting changes.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend stands outside the reception of the Surrey Police Headquarters near Guildford

Forces must be unrelenting in rooting out the perpetrators within their ranks” – Commissioner responds to report on violence against women and girls in policing

Posted on | by Surrey PCC

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Lisa Townsend said police forces must be unrelenting in rooting out perpetrators of violence against women and girls (VAWG) within their ranks following a national report published today.

The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) found more than 1,500 complaints were made against police officers and staff across the country relating to VAWG between October 2021 and March 2022.

During that six month period in Surrey, there were 11 conduct cases with allegations ranging from the use of inappropriate language to controlling behaviour, assault, and domestic abuse.  Of these, two remain ongoing but nine have concluded with seven resulting in sanctions – almost half of which barred those individuals from working in policing again.

Surrey Police also dealt with 13 complaints relating to VAWG during this period – the majority of which related to use of force on arrest or whilst in custody and general service.

The Commissioner said that while Surrey Police has made great strides in tackling the issue within its own workforce, she has also commissioned an independent project aimed at building on the anti-VAWG culture.

Lisa said: “I have been clear in my views that any police officer involved in violence towards women and girls is not fit to wear to wear the uniform and we must be unrelenting in rooting out perpetrators from the service.

“The vast majority of our officers and staff both here in Surrey and across the country are dedicated, committed and work around the clock to keep our communities safe.

“Sadly, as we have seen in recent times, they have been let down by the actions of a minority whose behaviour tarnishes their reputation and damages that public trust in policing which we know is so important.

““Policing is at a critical juncture where forces across the country are seeking to rebuild that trust and regain the confidence of our communities.

“Today’s NPCC report shows that police forces still have more to do to effectively tackle misogynistic and predatory behaviour in their ranks.

“Where there is clear evidence that anyone has been involved in this type of behaviour – I believe they must face the toughest possible sanctions including being sacked and barred from ever re-joining the service.

“In Surrey, the Force was one of the first in the UK to launch a VAWG strategy and have made great strides in tackling these issues and actively encouraging officers and staff to call out such behaviour.

“But this is too important to get wrong and I am committed to working with the Force and the new Chief Constable to ensure this remains a key priority going forward.

“Last summer, my office commissioned an independent project that will focus on improving working practices within Surrey Police through an extensive programme of work that is taking place over the next two years.

“This will involve a series of projects aimed at continuing to build on the anti-VAWG culture of the Force and working with officers and staff for long-term positive change.

“This is the first time a project of this kind has been carried out within Surrey Police and I see this as one of the most important pieces of work that will be undertaken during my tenure as Commissioner. “Tackling violence against women and girls is one of the key priorities in my Police and Crime Plan – in order to achieve this effectively we must ensure that as a police force we have a culture that not only we can be proud of, but our communities too.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend sat at table at ten downing street with heads of policing, members of Government and the Prime Minister

Commissioner welcomes government support for policing in tackling illegal climate protests

Posted on | by James Smith

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Lisa Townsend has today welcomed the support for policing pledged by government in tackling activists whose climate protests caused widespread disruption on the M25 in Surrey last month.

The Commissioner was one of a number of police leaders who attended a meeting at Downing Street last week to discuss how to combat the tactics used by environmental protest groups, such as Just Stop Oil.

She said the summit, which was attended by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Home Secretary Suella Braverman and policing minister Chris Philp, was constructive and gave chief officers the chance to set out the challenges police forces face.

In early November, activists scaled motorway gantries at various locations on the M25 in Surrey and surrounding counties across four days causing misery for motorists and disruption to the road network.

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend sat at table at ten downing street with heads of policing, members of Government and the Prime Minister

Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “It was a positive meeting and I do think the government are listening to the concerns of both residents and police on tackling this issue.

“I absolutely share the frustration of the vast majority of the public here in Surrey and elsewhere who are fed up with their everyday lives are being disrupted by what is co-ordinated criminality by determined activists.

“Policing has become the public face of the response to this and some of the criticism received has been unfair.

“I saw first-hand how hard our police teams worked to combat these protests and the impact that had on our already stretched resources which could have been much better utilised in our communities.

“So I was pleased to see the Prime Minister pledging his support to policing and asking what the government could do to help.

“We need to work with the CPS, the court system and government to ensure that we can deal with those who break the law more swiftly and effectively.

“The strengthening of the Public Order Bill to include a statutory definition of “serious disruption” will also help give forces clarity over their powers in dealing with this kind of activism.

“I am a strong believer in peaceful and lawful protest but what we saw in Surrey last month went far beyond what is acceptable and put lives at risk.

“I am committed to working closely with our local partners in Surrey and my Police and Crime Commissioner colleagues nationally to ensure our police teams are given the right support to combat this kind of protest in the future.”

Just Stop Oil Protestor with sign on top of gantry on M25 Motorway

“Enough is enough – people are now getting hurt” – Commissioner calls on activists to halt ‘reckless’ M25 protest

Posted on | by James Smith | Leave a Comment on “Enough is enough – people are now getting hurt” – Commissioner calls on activists to halt ‘reckless’ M25 protest

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Lisa Townsend has called on activists to halt their ‘reckless’ protests on the M25 motorway after a police officer was injured whilst responding in Essex.

The Commissioner said she shared the frustration of the vast majority of the public after a third day of Just Stop Oil protests caused widespread disruption across the road network in Surrey and surrounding counties.

She said the incident in Essex where a police motorcyclist was injured sadly highlights the dangerous situation the protests are creating and the risks for those police teams who are having to respond.

Activists scaled gantries again this morning at various locations around the Surrey stretch of the M25. All parts of the motorway were fully reopened by 9.30am and a number of arrests have been made.

Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “What we have seen in Surrey and elsewhere over the last three days goes way beyond peaceful protest. What we are dealing with here is co-ordinated criminality by determined activists.

“Sadly, we have now seen an officer in Essex getting injured while responding to one of the protests and I would like to send my best wishes to them for a full and speedy recovery.

“The actions of this group are becoming more and more reckless and I call on them to halt these dangerous protests now. Enough is enough – people are getting hurt.

“I fully share the anger and frustration of those who have been caught up in this over the last three days. We have seen stories of people missing vital medical appointments and family funerals and NHS nurses unable to get into work – it is completely unacceptable.

“Whatever the cause these activists are trying to promote – the vast majority of the public are fed up with the disruption it is causing to the lives of thousands of people trying to go about their daily business.

“I know how hard our police teams have been working and I fully support their efforts to combat these protests. We have had teams patrolling the M25 from the early hours to try and disrupt the activities of this group, detain those responsible and ensure that the motorway can be reopened as soon as possible.

“But this is diverting our resources and putting an unnecessary strain on our officers and staff at a time when resources are already stretched.”

Arial view of motorway

“Dangerous in the extreme and completely unacceptable” – Commissioner condemns latest protests on the M25 in Surrey

Posted on | by James Smith | Leave a Comment on “Dangerous in the extreme and completely unacceptable” – Commissioner condemns latest protests on the M25 in Surrey

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Lisa Townsend has condemned the ‘reckless and dangerous’ actions of protesters who once again caused disruption on the M25 in Surrey this morning.

The Commissioner said the behaviour of Just Stop Oil protesters who scaled overhead gantries on the motorway put ordinary people’s lives at risk and were completely unacceptable.

Police were called this morning to four different locations on the Surrey stretch of the M25 and a number of arrests have been made. Similar protests were also seen in Essex, Hertfordshire and London.

Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “Sadly once again we have seen people’s everyday lives being disrupted by the reckless actions of these protesters.

“No matter what the cause, climbing overhead gantries on the busiest motorway in the country during the Monday morning rush hour is dangerous in the extreme and totally unacceptable.

“These protesters not only put their own safety at risk but also those people who were using the motorway to go about their own business and those officers called out to deal them. You can only imagine what could have happened had someone fallen onto the carriageway.

“I am pleased to see the swift response by Surrey Police who were quickly on the scene to detain those involved. But yet again our precious police resources have had to be diverted to deal with these protesters and keep everyone safe.

“What we need to see now is those responsible put before the courts and given punishments that reflect the seriousness of their actions.

“I am a strong believer in peaceful and lawful protest but the vast majority of the public have had enough. The actions of this group are getting increasingly more dangerous and must be stopped before someone is seriously hurt.”

Joint statement from Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend and Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson

Posted on | by Surrey PCC | Leave a Comment on Joint statement from Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend and Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson
HM Queen Twitter Header

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and offer our heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family at this incredibly difficult time.”

“We will remain forever grateful for Her Majesty’s unwavering dedication to public service and she will remain an inspiration to us all. The Platinum Jubilee celebrations this year were a fitting way to pay tribute to the incredible 70 years of service she gave us as the longest serving monarch and Head of the Church of England in British history.”

“This is an incredibly sad time for the nation and her loss will be felt by many in our communities in Surrey, the UK and across the world. May she rest in peace.”

back of female police officer

It’s the least they deserve for the amazing job they do – Commissioner pleased to see pay rise for officers announced yesterday

Posted on | by Surrey PCC

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Lisa Townsend said she was pleased to see hard working police officers recognised with a well-earned pay rise which was announced yesterday.

The Home Office revealed that from September, police officers of all ranks in England and Wales will receive an extra £1,900 – equivalent to a 5% increase overall.

The Commissioner said the overdue rise will benefit those at the lower end of the pay scale and while she would have liked to see even more recognition for officers, she was pleased that the government had accepted the pay recommendations in full.

Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “Our policing teams work around the clock in often difficult circumstances to keep our communities safe in Surrey and I believe this pay award is the least they deserve to recognise the amazing job they do.

“I’m pleased to see that in terms of a percentage increase – this will reward those officers at the lower end of the pay scale more which is definitely a step in the right direction.

“The last few years have been a particularly tough for our officers and staff who have often been at the frontline of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and have been going above and beyond to police our county.

“The inspection report from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) released earlier this month highlighted the welfare of our officers needed to be a key area of focus in Surrey.

“So I hope this pay increase will at least go some way to helping ease the pressures they face with rise in the cost of living.

“The Home Office have said the government will be part funding this rise and will be supporting forces with an additional £350 million over the next three years to help cover the associated costs of the pay award.

“We need to examine the detail closely and in particular what this will mean for our future plans for the Surrey Police budget.

“I would also like to hear from the government what plans they have to ensure our police staff who play an equally important role are also properly rewarded.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend

“Selfish and unacceptable” – Commissioner condemns actions of M25 service station protesters

Posted on | by Surrey PCC

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Lisa Townsend has condemned the actions of protesters who blocked fuel stations on the M25 this morning as ‘selfish and unacceptable’.

Surrey Police officers were called to motorway services at both Cobham and Clacket Lane at around 7am this morning following reports that a number of protesters had caused damage at both sites and were blocking access to fuel with some gluing themselves to pumps and signs. Eight arrests have been made so far and more are expected to follow.

Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “Yet again this morning we have seen damage caused and disruption to ordinary people’s lives in the name of protest.

“The selfish actions of these protesters are completely unacceptable and I am pleased to see the swift response by Surrey Police who are working hard to minimise the impact on those using these areas. Unfortunately some of these protesters have glued themselves to various objects and removing them safely is a complex process that will take some time.

“Motorway service stations provide an important facility for motorists, particularly lorries and other vehicles transporting vital goods across the country.

“The right to peaceful and lawful protest is important in a democratic society but the actions this morning step far beyond what is acceptable and serves only to cause disruption to those people going about their daily business.

“This has again resulted in valuable police resources being used to respond to the situation when their time could have been better spent policing in our communities.”

hands holding each other

Commissioner welcomes major step towards new Victims’ Law

Posted on | by Surrey PCC

Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Lisa Townsend has welcomed the launch of a consultation on a brand-new law that will enhance the support for victims in England and Wales.

Plans for the first-ever Victims’ Law aim to improve engagement with victims of crime during the criminal justice process and include new requirements to hold agencies such as the police, Crown Prosecution Service and the courts to greater account. The consultation will also ask whether to increase the role of Police and Crime Commissioners as part of providing better oversight across the criminal justice system.

The Law will amplify the voices of communities and victims of crime, including a more explicit requirement for prosecutors to meet and understand the impact of a case on the victims before making charges against offenders. The burden of crime will be focused on offenders, including an increase to the amount that they are required to pay back to the community.

The Ministry of Justice also confirmed it will go further to specifically protect the victims of sexual offences and modern slavery from re-experiencing trauma, by speeding up the national roll out of pre-recorded evidence in courts.

It follows the publication of the Government’s Rape Review earlier this year, that called for better recognition of the impact of the criminal justice system on victims.

The Government has today published the first national criminal justice system and adult rape scorecards, accompanied by a report on the progress made since the Review was published. The publication of scorecards was one of the actions included in the Review, with a focus on the whole of criminal justice system working to increase the number of rape cases reaching court and to improve support for victims.

Surrey has the lowest level of recorded cases of rape per 1000 people. Surrey Police have taken the recommendations of the Review seriously, including developing a rape improvement plan and rape improvement group, new perpetrator programme and case progression clinics.

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “I greatly welcome the proposals outlined today to improve the support that is offered to victims. Every individual affected by a crime deserves our absolute attention across the whole system to ensure they are fully heard and included in achieving justice. It is important this includes progress towards protecting more victims from further harm as a result of the impact of criminal processes such as facing an offender in court.

“I am pleased that the measures proposed will not only make the criminal justice system work harder to achieve better outcomes, but that it will keep a core focus on increasing the penalties for those who cause harm. As Police and Crime Commissioners we play a key role in improving the policing response as well as community support for victims. I am committed to championing the rights of victims in Surrey, and embrace every opportunity for my office, Surrey Police and partners to enhance the service we provide.”

Rachel Roberts, Department Head of the Surrey Police Victim and Witness Care Unit said: “Victim participation and victim support is essential to the delivery of criminal justice. Surrey Police welcome the implementation of a Victims Law to ensure a future where victims’ rights are a key part of how we deliver overall justice and victim treatment is of utmost priority.

“This welcome piece of legislation we hope will transform victims’ experiences of the criminal justice system, ensuring that all victims have an active role in the process, have the right to be informed, supported, feel valued and able to make informed decisions. A Victims Law is an opportunity to ensure that all victim entitlements are delivered and those agencies who are responsible for doing this can be held to account.”

The Surrey Police Victim and Witness Care Unit is funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to provide help victims of crime cope and, as far as possible, recover from their experiences.

Victims are supported to identify sources of help for their unique situation and to develop tailored care plans that last as long as they need them – from reporting a crime, through to court and beyond. Since the start of this year, the Unit has had contact with over 40,000 individuals, providing more than 900 individuals with ongoing support.

You can contact the Victim and Witness Care Unit on 01483 639949, or for more information visit: https://victimandwitnesscare.org.uk

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend

PCC Lisa Townsend issues statement following death of Sir David Amess MP

Posted on | by Surrey PCC

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Lisa Townsend has issued the following statement in response to the death of Sir David Amess MP on Friday:

“Like everyone I was appalled and horrified by the senseless murder of Sir David Amess MP and I would like to offer my deepest sympathies to his family, friends and colleagues and all those affected by the awful events of Friday afternoon.

“Our MPs and elected representatives have a crucial role to play in listening to and serving their constituents in our local communities and should be able to carry out that duty without fear of intimidation or violence. Politics by its very nature can illicit strong emotions but there can be absolutely no justification for the sickening assault that took place in Essex.

“I am sure the terrible events of Friday afternoon will have been felt across all of our communities and understandably concerns have been raised about the security of MPs across the country.

“Surrey Police have been in contact with all of the county’s MPs and have been co-ordinating with our partners both nationally and locally to ensure appropriate security advice is given to our elected representatives.

“Communities defeat terror and whatever our political beliefs, we must all stand together in the face of such an attack on our democracy.”