Annual Report 2024-25

Introduction

Welcome to the Annual Report for 2024/25, which marks the start of my second term as your Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey.
I was honoured to be elected back in May to serve another four years as Commissioner for this wonderful county and continue to be the voice for residents in policing.

Back to basics

It’s been another really busy and important year for our brilliant officers, staff and volunteers, which has seen Surrey Police taking great strides in tackling those issues which I know are important to our communities.

After my successful re-election, I was clear with residents that I wanted to deliver on my promise to focus on a ‘back to basics’ approach for policing in Surrey.

So my first key task was to set a renewed Police and Crime Plan for the county which will cover my second term ending in 2028.

This was a task I did not take lightly and I wanted to ensure that my plan reflected what Surrey communities told me they wanted to see from their local policing teams.

Our plan for Surrey

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

My office carried out an extensive consultation where nearly 3,000 residents gave their views, together with community groups, businesses, partners and victims’ services.

This helped me construct my plan which forms the basis upon which I hold the Chief Constable to account for the policing service Surrey Police provide.

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.

I published that plan in April, which focuses not only on my back to basics pledge, but also on preventing violence against women and ensuring the accountability, integrity and wellbeing of the Force’s officers and staff.

Charge rate doubles

For this to succeed, we must of course very much to work in tandem with Surrey Police and align my plan with the Chief Constable’s vision of policing in our county.

We are very lucky to have a fantastic Chief Constable in Tim De Meyer and under his leadership Surrey Police is one of the fastest-improving forces in the country.

The Force has more than doubled its charge rate in the past 12 months, with an additional 3,500 offences prosecuted.

Charges for some of the crime types that are particularly important to residents, such as child abuse, burglary, assault and retail crime, have dramatically improved, and an additional 2,500 arrests have been made across all crime types.

Sustained progress

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. That is why I am committed to working with the Chief Constable to deliver on the priorities outlined in my plan over the next three years.

Representing the views of our residents on how we police the county is the single most important part of my role as Commissioner.

Over the autumn and winter months, we held a series of ‘Policing Your Community’ events in every borough in the county hosted by Tim, myself and the Borough Commander for each area.

They were incredibly useful in hearing what our residents thought about policing where they live and what they want to see from their police force.

As well as giving people the chance to ask their questions and tell us about their experiences, it was also an opportunity for the Chief Constable to update on the progress the Force were making.

The main thing our community events make clear to me is that more than anything, the public want police to be there for them when they need them.

That must remain the priority for all of us in policing. But there are challenges ahead.

Future impact

The Force has to find around £18million in savings over the next four years, while criminal justice delays and ever decreasing budgets are putting additional pressure on the amazing services that support victims in our county.

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.

We are also entering a period where plans for devolution for the county will mean a significant reorganisation of our local government system. This will no doubt have an impact on our way of working, particularly with our partners in Surrey.

As Police and Crime Commissioner, I must make sure Surrey Police have the right tools and the right resources in place during this time to continue to tackle those issues that are so important to residents.

That may mean some tough choices ahead but I believe the Force is in good hands and can look forward to a bright future ahead.

Bright future

I would like to thank everyone who has been in contact with me and my hard-working team over the last year. I am keen to hear from as many people as possible about their views on policing in Surrey so please do keep getting in touch.

Each month I publish a newsletter for residents which provides key updates on what my office has been doing. If you want to join the growing number of people that are signing up to it – please visit surrey-pcc.gov.uk/newsletter/

I would like to thank all the volunteers, charities, and organisations we have worked with and my staff in the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for their help over the last year.

My continued thanks also go to all those who work for Surrey Police for their efforts in keeping our communities safe during 2024/25.
They don’t often get enough credit for the incredible job they do day in, day out to protect the Surrey public.

I have met many of those who work in our policing teams across the county and can say without doubt they are some of the most passionate, dedicated and hard-working people you will ever meet.

They genuinely care about the service they provide for the public and help make Surrey remain one of the safest counties in the country.

I look forward to working with all of them and the Chief Constable over the coming year to ensure we continue to tackle those issues that matter most to our residents.

Lisa Townsend,
Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey

Contents

• Year-in brief 2023/24
• Priority 1 – preventing violence against women and girls
• Priority 2 – protecting people from harm in Surrey
• Priority 3 – working with Surrey communities so that they feel safe
• Priority 4 – strengthening relationships between Surrey Police and Surrey residents
• Priority 5 – ensuring safer Surrey roads
• Commissioning local services
• Surrey Police overview
• Engagement
• Volunteering
• Strategic Policing Requirement
• Budget summary
• Serious violence strategy

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