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Chief Constable fortnightly update to the Police and Crime Commissioner - 10 April 2026 |
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Dear Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson, Neighbourhood policing is the bedrock of an effective police service. Our Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs) forge deep relationships with our local communities by ensuring our service is visible and accessible. Exactly a year ago today, the Government set out finer detail regarding the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee which mandated increased and intelligence-led patrols in our communities by named officers, targeting crimes impacting upon them the most. I wanted to use this letter as a point of reflection to highlight some of the phenomenal work our NPTs do in making our communities feel safe inside and outside their homes every day. Investing in our NPT officers and staff: We have increased the number of neighbourhood police officers by 24 (to 123) in the last year and increased the number of our Special Constabulary in neighbourhood roles by 33 (to 110) All neighbourhood officers, supervisors and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) are progressing through the Neighbourhood Policing Programme career pathway, a national training framework introduced in 2025 to establish neighbourhood policing as a recognised specialist role. The programme develops skills in community engagement, structured problem solving, partnership working and tackling anti-social behaviour. This strengthens the ability of neighbourhood teams to address the underlying causes of repeat demand and local issues, improving outcomes for communities and supporting long term prevention We also actively monitor any abstractions within our NPTs to ensure our neighbourhood policing service is protected and consistent. Responding to community concerns: All submissions made to our NPTs via our website are responded to within 72hrs and we ensure that timely updates are provided on action taken. Increased engagement with our communities: So far this year (until the end of March), our NPTs undertook 1,376 engagements within our communities. This included school visits, drop-in sessions, attending local authority meetings and community events. This is an increase from 833 engagements during the same period last year. Our communities can find out where their local NPT will be in their local area via the Your Area section of our website Additional neighbourhood policing vehicles have been introduced to improve visibility, mobility and coverage, particularly in rural and geographically large areas. This underpins the guarantee’s aim of having consistent, visible policing across every community and enables officers to spend more time in their neighbourhoods rather than travelling back to stations. This will also include the introduction of a third mobile police station in the coming months We are constantly looking at ways we can reach all the communities we serve. Our Wiltshire and Swindon Community Messaging service plays an increasingly important role in enabling us to directly contact members of the public with relevant information and updates. You can sign up to our Wiltshire and Swindon Community Messaging service by following this link. Case study: Neighbourhood policing in action - tackling e-bikes in Melksham Over recent months, we have seen an increase in the number of incidents involving young people wearing balaclavas riding around on e-bikes in Melksham. This has, understandably, caused some concern within our communities there. Across one day, we utilised 15 officers from our neighbourhood teams, supported by the Drone Unit and the Roads Policing team, and: Undertook five stop searches in Melksham Arrested three people on suspicion of driving and drug offences Seized three e-bikes Executed warrants at three properties in the local area Seized £2,400 in cash, cannabis with a street value of approximately £2,500 and six mobile phones. This work builds on the proactive crackdown on illegal e-bikes and e-scooters we launched last summer and our NPTs will be supporting again this summer. You can read more about this here. In my last letter to you, I also outlined two other incredible NPT-led success stories – the Clear, Hold, Build initiative in Broadgreen, Swindon where our teams have arrested more than 130 people and seized almost £600,000 worth of drugs and a human trafficking investigation in Chippenham which began from community concerns being raised to our NPT. You can read more about these case studies here. Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB): A key part of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee is tackling ASB in a robust, transparent way. Last week, we published our joint, bespoke ASB action plan for Wiltshire which outlines how we will prevent, respond to and reduce ASB within our communities. ASB has a real and lasting impact on people’s sense of safety, confidence and wellbeing. Across Swindon and Wiltshire, communities rightly tell us that they want to see consistent, visible and effective action taken where behaviour causes harm, distress or disruption. I share that expectation. Our plan sets out clearly how we, working with our partners and communities, will respond. It reflects our commitment to preventing harm, supporting victims and taking firm action against those who persistently cause misery to others. We will use all powers available to us, focus our resources where they are most needed, and ensure our approach is informed by evidence, local insight and community voice. Neighbourhood policing sits at the heart of this work. Through strong partnerships, problem-solving and visible policing, we are determined to deter ASB and to intervene early to prevent escalation. This action plan provides a clear framework for delivery and accountability. It sets out our priorities, how we will measure success, and how we will continue to listen and respond to those we serve. Our aim is simple: to ensure that communities across Wiltshire can feel safer and more confident, knowing that ASB will be challenged and addressed. You can find our ASB action plan here. We will continue to build upon the strong foundations we have laid in Wiltshire under the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee to continually develop and improve the service our communities receive. Neighbourhood policing plays an integral role in delivering the three new operational priorities for Wiltshire Police; Safer Public Spaces, Reducing and Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and Improving Outcomes for Victims. More details on these priorities can be found here. The dedication and diligence of our NPTs is instrumental in Keeping Wiltshire Safe. Kindest regards to you,
Catherine Roper Chief Constable, Wiltshire Police
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