Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend has set up a new board designed to improve community safety and prevent crime across Surrey.
Lisa said she hoped the launch of the Community Safety and Prevention Board would mark a watershed moment in how partner agencies work together in the county.
Lisa chaired the first meeting of the board last week at Surrey Police’s Mount Browne HQ which set out its aims to reduce crime, disorder, serious violence and anti-social behaviour and prevent harm in communities.
The Commissioner was joined at the meeting by Surrey’s Chief Constable Tim De Meyer and key representatives of partner agencies across the county including Surrey Fire and Rescue, the Crown Prosecution Service and Surrey County Council.
The new board has been established to create a dedicated space for partner agencies to focus on community safety issues which were previously considered as part of the county’s Health and Wellbeing Board. It will focus on six priority areas going forward:
Violence against women and girls and domestic abuse
Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) and community harm
Serious Violence
The Prevent Strategy
Serious organised crime
Hate crime and community cohesion
Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “Surrey is already one of the safest places to live in the country but there is always more we can all do to prevent crime and protect our residents.
“That is why I am delighted to have chaired the first meeting of this new board which I hope will be a watershed moment in how we approach community safety in our county.
“There has been some amazing work already happening in Surrey but at a countywide level we need now, more than ever, to collectively come together to prevent harm in our communities.
“Issues such as ASB, violence, fraud, substance misuse, gang involvement and online threats are real risks for society across the UK and we are no different here in Surrey.
“Policing cannot solve this alone. That is why it is so important to get all of our key partners around the table, working together to create safe communities in Surrey where residents are protected and supported.”
A YEAR of partnership working in Redhill has led to 25 years in prison for offenders and the seizure of 10kg of suspected cocaine.
Safer Redhill, an initiative designed to cut crime and foster pride in the town, brings together Surrey Police, Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and YMCA East Surrey, as well as local business and community partners.
The initiative 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.
The project adopts the College of Policing’s ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ framework, a three-stage approach where police ‘clear’ offenders from Redhill and work in tandem with interventions from partners to ensure it remains that way.
Campaign’s success
From joint drugs operations at Redhill train station to plain clothed officers deployed at night to spot suspicious behaviour, a huge range of activity has had extensive results, including:
155 arrests for offences including assaults, burglary, drink driving, drug supply and shoplifting
93 charges, of which 81 were charged and remanded
A combined prison time of 25 years for local offenders, with many more still to appear for trial
Two Criminal Behaviour Orders issued for anti-social behaviour and 80 Community Resolutions issued for offences such as possession of a small quantity of drugs, low value and first time shoplifting offences and minor public order incidents
Over £7,000 worth of fines, court costs and victim surcharges issued by the courts
86 drug seizures, including 10kg of suspected cocaine
£89,000 cash recovered and weapons taken off the streets
15 vehicles seized and driving disqualification penalties issued that total 8.5 years.
Alongside enforcement activity, the local policing team has built strong relationships within the town, from engaging with students at colleges and holding Meet the Beat sessions to licensing visits with the council’s Joint Enforcement Team.
‘Incredibly proud’
Borough Commander Jon Vale said: “I’m incredibly proud of the efforts of all our partners to address crime in Redhill and help people feel safer in the town.
“It’s a team effort and I’m grateful to all the businesses, organisations and residents who are supporting this project to take pride in Redhill.
“When our communities look at the number of arrests and charges we’ve made over the past year, I want to reassure residents that it’s through the work we’ve been doing that we’re able to seek out and clear this crime from the town.
“Surrey remains one of the safest counties in the UK and our enforcement activities have had a strong impact in Redhill. Since we began our increased police activity, we’ve seen a significant decrease in crimes such as shoplifting, sexual assaults, serious attacks, robbery and anti-social behaviour.”
Safer Redhill aims to have a lasting impact and there is significant work going on to improve the area.
Lasting impact
Local initiatives include solar lighting and a mural designed by young people in Memorial Park, detached youth work by the YMCA and women’s self defence classes by Redhill Boxing Club.
The latest addition to the town will be the installation of two bleed kits by the Safer Redhill partnership, which have been installed next to defibrillators as part of the town’s provision to support people in medical emergencies.
Results from the Force’s regular neighbourhood survey indicate these changes are making a difference, showing an increase in the community’s trust and confidence in the police.
Surrey Police will soon launch a bespoke survey for residents and visitors to Redhill to tell officers where to focus their continued efforts.
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, Lisa Townsend, has issued the following statement following the conclusion of the Sara Sharif murder trial earlier today:
“The murder of Sara Sharif has been one of the most harrowing and tragic cases ever dealt with by Surrey Police and I welcome the guilty verdicts returned by the jury today.
“Sara was a bright and vibrant little girl and the suffering she must have gone through in the final months of her young life is simply heartbreaking and almost impossible to comprehend.
“In the one place where she should have felt safe – she was subjected to the most unimaginable and barbaric abuse at the hands of the very people who should have been protecting her.
“Upon her death, instead of summoning help or accepting any responsibility for what they had done, they fled the country. Since that day, they have consistently sought to avoid blame for the sheer evil they inflicted upon Sara over a prolonged period of time.
“Sadly, one of the common hallmarks of violence perpetrated against women and girls is that it is carried out behind closed doors often by those closest to them.
“It is clear in this case that calculated attempts were made to ensure the sustained abuse of Sara happened out of plain sight.
“But there are undoubtedly questions that need answering on what could have been done to prevent her death. So I welcome the safeguarding review into the circumstances which led up to the tragic events of last summer.
“This was a challenging and complex international investigation and I want to thank all those agencies involved both in the UK and Pakistan for their co-operation and assistance.
“I also want to thank all of the officers and staff who have worked so hard to bring Sara’s killers to justice. In particular, I must commend the painstaking work of our amazing forensic teams who were able to uncover the true scale of horrifying abuse that Sara suffered.
“I can only admire the professionalism and diligence all those involved in this investigation have displayed in securing the appalling but vital evidence which was put before the court and enabled the jury to return their guilty verdicts.
“They have been driven throughout by a pursuit of justice for Sara. That justice has been secured today and I know this case will stay with them forever.”
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.”
A FUNDING BOOST of £1million to combat anti-social behaviour (ASB) and serious violence in hotspots across Surrey has been welcomed by Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend.
The money from the Home Office will help increase police presence and visibility in locations across the county where issues are identified and tackle violence and ASB with powers including stop and search, public space protection orders and closure notices.
It’s part of a £66m package from government that will begin in April, after trials in counties including Essex and Lancashire cut ASB by as much as half.
While neighbourhood crime in Surrey remains low, the Commissioner said she was listening to residents who identified ASB, burglary and drug-dealing as top priorities in a joint series of ‘Policing your Community’ events with Surrey Police this winter.
Concerns about visible policing and drug use also featured among the 1,600 comments that she received in her Council tax survey; with over half of respondents selecting ASB as a key area they wanted Surrey Police to focus on in 2024.
Surrey remains the fourth safest county in England and Wales and Surrey Police lead dedicated partnerships for reducing ASB and tackling the root causes of serious violence. Those partnerships include Surrey County Council and local borough councils, health and housing agencies so that problems can be tackled from multiple angles.
Anti-social behaviour is sometimes viewed as ‘low level’, but persistent problems are often linked to a bigger picture that includes serious violence and the exploitation of the most vulnerable people in our community.
The Force and Commissioner’s office are focused on the support that is available to victims of ASB in Surrey, that includes help from Mediation Surrey and the dedicated Surrey Victim and Witness Care Unit that are funded by the Commissioner.
Her office also plays a key role in the ASB Case Review process (formerly known as ‘Community Trigger’) that gives residents that have reported a problem three or more times over a six-month period the power to bring different organisations together to find a more permanent solution.
Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “Protecting people from harm and ensuring people feel safe are key priorities in my Police and Crime Plan for Surrey.
“I am delighted that this money from the Home Office will directly boost the response to those issues that local residents have told me are the most important to them where they live, including reducing ASB and taking drug dealers off our streets.
“People in Surrey regularly tell me that they want to see our police officers in their local community so I am really pleased that these extra patrols will also raise the visibility of those officers that are already working every day to protect our communities.
“Surrey remains a safe place to live and the Force is now the biggest it has ever been. Following the feedback from our communities this winter – this investment will be a fantastic complement to the work that my office and Surrey Police are doing to improve the service that the public receive.”
Chief Constable for Surrey Police Tim De Meyer said: “Hotspot policing cuts crime through highly visible policing and strong law enforcement in the areas that need it most. It is proven to tackle problems such as anti-social behaviour, violence and drug dealing. We will use technology and data to identify hotspots and target these with the traditional policing that we know people want to see. I am sure that people will notice improvements and I look forward to reporting our progress in fighting crime and protecting people.
