Pride in our new police station (From Daily Echo)

Pride in our new police station

10:25am Wednesday 2nd March 2011 in Chief Superintendent 's Blog By Matthew Greening, Chief Superintendent

Pride in our new police station

Well we're in the new station at last.

All the talk is over, all the hard work to plan and build it is done and we are moving in and opening to the public on 7th March.

I noticed in the Echo an article about the developer's profits and some of the discussion comments about the buildings they have put up in the city recently, one being the new police station, and what the benefits are to the city.

Having met people from the developers, in particular their project manager, and some of the workers on site I can say how impressed I have been with their pride in their work and their sense of commitment to the City of Southampton and it's people. I share that pride and like them the Constabulary will make this major new building an asset for the city and people in the city not just for the police.

An update on my previous comments about the rise in burglaries in the city.

Well we have been working really hard to catch those committing these crimes and we are having considerable success.

Every week we are arresting those we suspect are causing such misery to the victims and we will keep at it.

The burglary rate is now falling but I don’t want anyone to be complacent.

There are still too many times when people are leaving houses insecure and property on show.

Please keep alert to suspicious activities and don't hesitate to ring us. We have had some good examples of people doing just that and us then catching suspected burglars. We do need people to be careful and stay alert to what goes on in neighbourhoods.

The Constabulary is going through some major changes over the next few years and under our Chief Constable's leadership we aren't hanging around but we are getting on with planning for a future where we protect front line policing and make everything else as efficient and lean as possible with most of that in place by April 2012.

That includes some changes to senior posts now to get ready for 2012 and next month I shall be on the move to work at Police Headquarters whilst I will be succeeded by Ch Supt Dave Thomas.

So I wont be doing many more posts here as the Southampton Police Commander and this is a chance to say thanks if you have been reading them and for the comments.