Have your say at one of 12 events as Policing Your Community returns |
Surrey residents are invited to have their say on the crime and policing issues that concern them at a series of events around the county.
Policing Your Community returns in May, with a meeting in each of Surrey's 11 boroughs, as well as an online event for those unable to attend their nearest venue.
The first meeting will take place in Guildford on Tuesday, May 19. The series will conclude in Waverley on Wednesday, July 29.
The Police and Crime Commissioner, Lisa Townsend, Surrey Police's Chief Constable, Tim De Meyer, and the local Borough Commander will attend the meetings.
Lisa said: "I'm delighted to announce the return of Policing Your Community.
"These meetings allow residents to ask any questions they may have on crime and policing.
"I encourage readers of this newsletter to sign up and join us at their nearest event.
"Those unable to attend in person can join us online on Tuesday, July 21."
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New protocol in Surrey to find missing forces personnel and veterans |
Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner announced the launch of a "vital" new protocol at an armed forces conference in Pirbright last month.
The Forcer Protocol - named for veteran Alan Forcer, who took his own life after suffering with complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - is now being used in Surrey.
The scheme aims to ensure that missing veterans are found as quickly as possible.
Ellie Vesey-Thompson joined Alan's wife, Claire Lilly, and senior Surrey Police leads at the Armed Forces Covenant Conference to launch the initiative.
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Ellie, who leads on veterans and the armed forces for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, said: "Preventing suicide and harm by finding people who have gone missing as quickly as possible is the best thing for them, their family and friends, Surrey residents, and for our officers.
“Any tool that can assist with finding those in crisis is worth it. It means people like Claire and her children won’t have to hear the worst news of their lives.
“It is fundamentally the right thing to do.”
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Police tackle the shoplifters stealing Champagne and perfume to order |
Organised criminals stealing chocolate and razors to order are being brought to justice, the Commissioner said as a TV show aired.
Channel 5 documentary Police Interceptors featured a Surrey Police investigation into a gang responsible for stealing items worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The OCG - organised criminal group - is one of four brought down in Surrey thanks to the work of officers and supermarket Tesco. The four groups stole items worth a total of £2.5million.
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Lisa said: "Offending committed by groups like these fuel further crime sprees. It harms not only Surrey’s retail community, but all residents.
“We will all have seen that perfume, cheese, coffee, alcohol and now even chocolate bars are often being locked away in anti-theft boxes at supermarkets.
These are among the items stolen to order by gangs who sell them on through illicit markets that help fund wider criminal activity.
“We are determined to deal with the offenders behind this behaviour."
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May 19 - Policing Your Community, Guildford
May 26 - Policing Your Community, Mole Valley
June 3 - Policing Your Community, Epsom and Ewell
June 9 - Policing Your Community, Spelthorne
June 16 - Policing Your Community, Woking
June 23 - Policing Your Community, Runnymede
June 30 - Policing Your Community, Tandridge
July 7 - Policing Your Community, Reigate and Banstead
July 9 - Policing Your Community, Surrey Heath
July 14 - Policing Your Community, Elmbridge
July 21 - Policing Your Community, online
July 29 - Policing Your Community, Waverley
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"I lost my life savings to AI deepfake video" |
A Surrey man who lost £20,000 of his life savings to an AI-generated fraud has warned residents to be wary of what they see online.
David - not his real name - is supporting Commissioner Lisa Townsend's Question EVERYTHING campaign.
He was tricked by a scam investment fronted by a deepfake version of TV presenter and Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis.
Lisa's campaign aims to highlight the emerging threat of criminals using AI and deepfakes to create increasingly sophisticated fake content designed to scam victims.
An AI-generated version of Lisa has now appeared in two videos.
David said: "By the time I realised what was happening I was in too deep and couldn’t get out without losing my money.
"I felt stupid for getting into this situation and ashamed to tell my wife that I had lost some of our savings.”
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Mysterious disappearance of crime writer is remembered |
The Daily Mail front page pictured above dates from December 1926, when crime writer Agatha Christie mysteriously vanished.
Her Morris car was discovered abandoned in Guildford, sparking an 11-day search.
Sergeant Kenward, pictured in the images above, launched a search involving 40 Surrey Constabulary officers. At the same time, a national search took place.
Sgt Kenward discovered that Christie had left her home the previous night in a depressed state, taking her car to an unknown location.
On the morning that the car had been found, an eyewitness said that they had seen a lady matching Christie’s description “sparsely dressed and acting in a strange manner”.
Christie was eventually found at a hotel in Harrogate, North Yorkshire – several hundred miles away from where her car was found.
She told officers she had no memory of where she had been, and even to this day, the mystery has never been solved.
Commissioner Lisa Townsend has shared the image as she looks back over the history of Surrey Police.
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Commissioner answers your questions live |
Lisa Townsend answered your questions on everything from rural crime to the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner as she sat in BBC Radio Surrey's hot seat.
The 45-minute feature saw Lisa discuss visible policing, fly-tipping, shoplifting and lengthy court delays.
During the interview, Lisa said serving Surrey's residents has been an "enormous privilege" and talked about the challenges that get her out of bed in the morning.
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Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey
PO BOX 412, Guildford GU3 1Y
Tel: 01483 630200 | Contact us by email |
The Office of the Police Crime Commissioner's Office is independent from Surrey Police. Contact Surrey Police on 101, at https://surrey.police.uk or on Surrey Police social media pages. Always dial 999 in an emergency. |
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