We were very fortunate to have Inspector Pete Sparrow and PC James Barrett attend our February meeting.
Inspector Sparrow gave a presentation which provided statistics for criminal activity in the Downton/Redlynch area. The area covered by the team is 300sq miles with the majority of crimes taking place in the Salisbury area and therefore resources are deployed accordingly. Outside of Salisbury there are clusters of criminal activity which includes our area however, the levels of crime here are below average.
There are issues with individuals coming across from Hampshire to commit offences in the rural areas and cross border intelligence working is taking place.
It was acknowledged that there are issues with the reporting of incidents and what is perceived to be a lack of interest as no victim contact is subsequently made. Inspector Sparrow is working to improve the levels of service which should help to address these issues.
Social media is being used to make people aware of the police presence in our area and other rural areas of the county and there have been some recent successes with the night time patrols resulting in arrests. They are also trying to secure a PSPO for the Downton/Redlynch area to address the issue of catapults being used as weapons.
It is important to ensure all incidents are reported as this helps with the building of intelligence. Collaborative working with the community is extremely important to gain intelligence and prevent criminal activity.