Can you tell which Commissioner is real - and which is a deepfake? |
Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend has shared news of an exciting financial scheme - and she just needs your bank details.
Or did she?
In an innovative new campaign, the Commissioner is asking residents to 'question everything' they see online to avoid falling victim to an AI-generated fraud.
In the film above, a deepfake version of the Commissioner asks residents to part with their information for an investment.
Real Lisa then takes over - and says nothing viewers have watched so far has been real.
The video was released to mark the launch of the Commissioner's new fraud campaign, Question EVERYTHING.
Lisa said: "I wanted to create the deepfake video to show how easy it is for fraudsters to convincingly impersonate somebody, particularly those in the public eye.
“AI can turn online interactions into a fraudster's dream."
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Police HQ falls silent as officers and staff mark Remembrance Day |
Surrey Police officers who lost their lives during the First and Second World Wars were remembered during services in November.
Commissioner Lisa Townsend gave a reading at Guildford Cathedral, while Deputy Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson travelled to Ypres in Belgium with the Ceremonial Association of Surrey Police.
Among the officers to lose their lives was Henry Bullen, who served as a Police Constable with Surrey Constabulary.
A former Grenadier Guard, he was recalled during the First World War, and on October 26 1914 was killed in action – the first member of the Force to die in the conflict.
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Captain Owen Allard, a Surrey Constabulary officer, returned to policing after the Second World War.
He served with the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, who fought in the Normandy campaign, and was the last surviving member of the battalion following D Day.
Lisa said: “It is always an immense privilege to join Remembrance events and learn more about those who gave their lives to allow future generations to live in more peaceful times.”
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Commissioner's statement as Government ends PCC role |
Surrey's Police and Crime Commissioner said it is a "sad day for the victims of crime in Surrey" as the Government confirmed the PCC role is to be abolished in 2028.
The Home Office confirmed in November that no further elections for the Police and Crime Commissioner role will take place.
In the future, the responsibilities of a Commissioner will fall either to an elected mayor or to council leaders.
While Surrey is set to move to a two-unitary model, a mayoral position has not been confirmed.
Lisa, who commissions a range of services aimed at reducing reoffending, supporting victims of crime and keeping communities safe, said: "My concern is that whatever follows the PCC model will be less democratic, less accountable, less transparent, and worse value for money for the people of Surrey.”
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Residential burglary reports drop in Surrey as charges increase |
Reports of residential burglaries have dropped in Surrey, new stats published on the Commissioner's Data Hub shows.
Between August 2024 and August 2025, 305 fewer burglaries were reported across the county.
In addition, there has been a 56 per cent increase in charges this year alone.
The information has been published on Lisa Townsend's innovative Data Hub, which launched in 2023 but was recently refreshed so it better aligns with her Police and Crime Plan.
The Hub is publicly accessible and provides a wide range of monthly data.
During November, Lisa joined officers based in Runnymede for a late-shift burglary patrol around the borough.
Lisa said: "Under Chief Constable Tim De Meyer’s leadership, we are seeing real, tangible results that mean fewer Surrey residents will ever become a victim of crime."
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December 8 - Commissioner attending the Emergency Services Carol Service
December 10 - Commissioner to speak at forum on domestic abuse
December 15 - PCC's monthly surgery
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December 22 - Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner closed
December 25 - Christmas Day
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Surrey retailers sign knife pledge |
Businesses across Surrey have signed a Responsible Retailer pledge to tackle knife crime.
The scheme, launched to mark Operation Sceptre - a national knife crime awareness week - asked retailers to sell blades responsibly.
Surrey Police officers visited shops throughout the campaign in November.
Commissioner Lisa Townsend, who heads the Surrey Serious Violence Reduction Partnership, also visited Kings International College in Camberley during Sceptre.
She watched a performance of Put Up Your Swords, which uses Romeo and Juliet to encourage wider conversations about knife crime.
Knife crime rates in Surrey stand at around half of the national average.
But Lisa said: "One life lost to knife crime is one too many, and we must never be complacent about the devastation this type of criminality causes.
“I’d like to thank everyone who signed the Responsible Retailer pledge. Your efforts may save a life.”
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New Eastern HQ is green-lit by planners |
The development of an Eastern Divisional Headquarters in Leatherhead has been approved.
Since the discovery of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in the construction of Reigate Police Station in 2023, Surrey Police’s Eastern Divisional HQ has been temporarily based at Wray Park in Reigate.
Planning permission has now been granted for a site in Cleeve Road.
The plans also include an adjacent residential development which includes 40 new affordable homes.
Commissioner Lisa Townsend, who owns the Surrey Police estate, said: "This is an exciting milestone for the future of policing in the east of our county."
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A new third-party reporting helpline has been established to support victims in the UK.
The helpline, launched by the British Muslim Trust and the Government, aims to provide confidential support and safe reporting for victims of anti-Muslim hate.
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New policing hub opens in Surrey village |
A new community policing hub has opened in Ash on a trial basis.
The site at the Ash Centre is open on Tuesday afternoons throughout the winter months.
It will be staffed by officers and PCSOs, with space provided for anyone who wishes to report a confidential matter.
In November, the Commissioner joined Sergeant Adam Worsell and PCSOs Sue Spencer and Molly Rhodes for a shift.
She said: "Anyone who lives in Ash is invited to discuss local issues with local officers on Tuesday afternoons.
"The hub has had a fantastic response so far, with plenty of residents dropping by to discuss issues, share intelligence and even bring the team tea and biscuits."
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