POLICE in Hampshire have given an update on their achievements since council taxpayers were asked to pay more - as the bill is set to rise again.

In January 2019 then Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney listed what the force would achieve if households paid an extra £10 in the policing precept of council tax.

The raise to the precept was brought in, but now Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones has launched a consultation on raising the fee again by up to £10. 

The Echo approached the force to find out what progress has been made on the promises set out previously. Here is what it said: 

An additional 146 police officers

"We met this. We increased our strength by 168 from April 21 – March 31, 22."

The capability to arrest an extra 300 of the most dangerous organised criminals.

"For 2021/22, Hampshire Constabulary has increased the number of arrests that it has made across a number of high harm crimes types involving potentially dangerous criminals, compared to the same period in 2020/21.

"This includes 1,272 more arrest in Violence with Injury cases, 414  more arrests for Sexual Offences, and 4,092 more arrests for offences linked to Domestic Abuse.

"The number of Drugs Trafficking offences have seen a reduction, but there have been proportionately more arrests for Drugs Trafficking crimes than in 2020/21."

Potential to investigate 26,000 more crimes. 

"For the financial year 2021/22 Hampshire Constabulary has recorded and dealt with 169,699 crimes.

"This is an increase of 30,781crimes compared to the same period in 2020. This additional reported crime has largely been managed by our Contact Management and Response & Patrol teams – both of which have received resource investment linked to ‘Uplift’ and the Council Tax increase of 2021."

Reducing 1,000 crimes a year

"Crime levels in 2021/22 increased compared to the same period in 2020/21 due to the easing of COVID restrictions.

"Whilst crime has increased compared to 2020, in a number of key crime types reported offending has reduced when compared to the pre covid year. Comparing 2019/20 (pre-COVID) to 2021/22 2021 shows:

  • 48 fewer Serious Violence offences
  • 275 fewer Robberies
  • 1,648 fewer Residential Burglaries
  • 2,150 fewer Vehicle Crimes

"There are a number of crime types nationally that are recognised as underreported by victims, such as Rape and Domestic Abuse.

"Consequently, Hampshire Constabulary does not seek a reduction in reported crime in these areas but takes active measures to prevent crimes through its response to a number of key issues including Violence Against Women and Girls, Safer Streets and Serious Sexual Offences Reduction."

Safeguarding an extra 12,000 vulnerable people

"During 2020 we carried out approximately 68,000 safeguarding referrals and by the end of this year we predict that number will be more than 80,000 referrals, in line with previous projected forecasts.

"Each of these safeguarding referrals will involve a vulnerable adult, child or both. As we expected, over the last 12 months, due to a number of external factors that people are facing, we and our partners are seeing an ever increasing demand for support, often involving very complex and challenging cases.

"These are ever increasing difficult times, but recent external inspections by the HMICFRS have highlighted some of the national best practice we are currently leading on, such as the focus on improving the quality of safeguarding referrals our front line staff complete during the course of their operational duties."

Reducing sickness

"We spent £495,700 on enhancing the occupational health provision, running psychological screening programme, expanding the outreach service, improving the management of long term sickness cases and increasing access to physio services."

Better justice for victims

"Hampshire Constabulary has significantly increased the number of Out of Court Disposals it achieves for victims, particularly in lower level violent crime but also in the policing of public order and controlled drugs possession offences across the county.

"This has largely been driven by improvements across our Local Policing Teams supported by the increased officers now working across the force in Response & Patrol and Neighbourhoods Policing. From March 2021 to April 2022 Hampshire Constabulary recorded 2,148 more Community Resolutions compared to 2020/21." 

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