Latest news & updates - Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey

Best-ever 999 and 101 call answering times recorded by Surrey Police

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend hailed the dramatic improvement in how long it takes Surrey Police to answer calls for help - after figures revealed that current waiting times are now 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, with 97.8 per cent of 999 calls answered within the national target of 10 seconds in February - the best on 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.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire Services (HMICFRS) visited Surrey Police during the summer and said improvements were needed in how the Force responds to the public.

The Commissioner and the Chief Constable also heard residents’ experiences of contacting Surrey Police during the recent ‘Policing Your Community’ roadshow.

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

“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 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.

“The Force have been working incredibly hard to improve the situation and I am delighted to see that the answering times are now the best they have ever been."

Commissioner and partners secure safer Redhill funding

Fresh funding to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in Redhill has been announced by our office and partners this week.

Working together, Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend, Reigate and Banstead Borough Council and Surrey Police have secured £265,000 from the Home Office's Safer Streets fund for town centre improvements, youth outreach and anti-social behaviour training.

Lisa has also contributed £58,000 from our Community Safety Fund for an initiative called 'Clear, Hold, Build'.

Police will target crime hotspots, clearing them of criminals and 'holding' them to ensure offenders don't return.

Safer Streets funding will then pay for crime prevention to ensure long term benefits for Surrey's communities.

Redhill residents will see more targeted police activity in the town as officers crack down on offences like anti-social behaviour and shoplifting.

The Commissioner said: “I’m delighted to be able to support this fantastic initiative.

“The Clear, Hold, Build framework relies on proactive policing to secure crime hotspots and work in partnership with communities to keep the area safe.

“Redhill sits beside two major roads, the M25 and the M23, and has strong public transport links.

"Organised criminal groups can exploit these travel connections, bringing with them drugs and other criminal activities. Oncepolice clear locations of criminals, schemes that will make these areas safer will ensure this has a sustained positive impact.

“Surrey remains the fourth safest county in England and Wales. We are determined to ensure that Surrey continues to be a safe home to all residents in the future and this long-term initiative, supported by the hotspot and Safer Streets funding, allows us to protect this legacy.”

"Rural crime can have grave consequences"

Deputy Crime Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson has warned that rural crime causes "far graver consequences than might first be imagined".

Ellie joined rural crime PCSO Emma Welland for a shift in the Guildford area last month to mark the South East Partnership Against Rural Crime's week of action.

The Partnership - made up of Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Isle of Wight, Kent, and Thames Valley police forces - aims to make the region a hostile environment for countryside offenders.

Ellie said: "Organised criminal groups (OCGs) are often behind the thefts of plant machinery and specialist GPS units.

"The profits these groups make can fuel crimes that harm far wider swathes of society, such as the sexual exploitation of children and the supply of drugs.

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In the news:

GUILDFORD DRAGON:

Commissioner hails dramatic improvement in 999 and 101 call answering times

WOKING NEWS AND MAIL:

Funding from police commissioner will help Woking students learn skills that last a lifetime

FARNHAM HERALD:
Surrey Police introduces new strategy to combat shoplifting surge

SURREY LIVE:
Prolific petrol station shoplifter convicted of 24 counts of theft 'receiving help he needs'

PLANET RADIO:
Warning of "wildlife crime pandemic" in Surrey after spate of swan killings

See all the latest news from our Office here.

Coming up...

March 19 - Shepperton residents' meeting

March 26 - Woldingham residents' meeting

March 28 - PCC's online surgery

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Commissioner joins police teams taking the fight to drug gangs in county lines crackdown

Commissioner Lisa Townsend said officers will continue to drive drug gangs out of Surrey after she joined operations targeting ‘county lines’ networks across the county this month.

Drugs and drug related crime was one of the issues that you told us was most important where you live during our recent ‘Policing Your Community’ roadshow in which she teamed up with the Chief Constable and local Borough Commanders to answer questions about policing and crime in our communities.

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

At the start of March, she accompanied officers as they carried out plain clothes patrols and executed warrants at a number of properties to pursue those responsible.

Look out for our next update to learn more about the Surrey Police operations targeting drug networks across the county.

Million pound crackdown on ASB as Commissioner welcomes funding to target 'hotspots'

Lisa Townsend has welcomed a boost to the funding that Surrey Police will receive to slash levels of anti-social behaviour (ASB) and street crime in hotspots around the county.

The funding, part of a £66m package from government, will pay for extra patrols from April.

While neighbourhood crime in Surrey is low, the Commissioner said she was listening to residents who identified ASB, burglary and drug-dealing as top priorities during her recent 'Policing Your Community' roadshow with Surrey Police:

“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."