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Chief Superintendent David Thomas (pictured left) is the commander in charge of policing on the Isle of Wight.
Chief Superintendent Thomas was promoted to commander from his role as Superintendent of Operations OCU at police headquarters in Winchester.
Chief Superintendent Thomas started his policing career on the Isle of Wight as a PC pounding the streets of Ryde and Shanklin in 1985. It is a beginning that informs his vision for the island today.
“The Isle of Wight is a great place to live, work and visit, and I will ensure it remains so. The challenge for me is to build on the good work that’s already been done on the island. That’s why I chose to come back here.
"There's a strong sense of community on the island, and I firmly believe that by working together we can achieve our goals. I will always seek to develop relationships with our partner agencies, including the Isle of Wight Council and Isle of Wight NHS Primary Care Trust, to work on ways of preventing crime at every opportunity."
For other services within the Isle of Wight, please see the Isle of Wight Council website.
The OCU headquarters is based at:
Newport Police Station
High Street
Newport
Isle of Wight
PO30 1SZ
Enquiry office open: 8.30am - 8pm
Isle of Wight OCU is made up of 208 police officers and 77 police staff serving a population of more than 129,000. The OCU covers an area of more than 146 square miles
Joining C/Supt Thomas on the Senior Management Team (SMT) are:
Superintendent Norman Mellors
- Superintendent Norman Mellors - OCU Deputy Commander
- Detective Chief Inspector Bob Maker - CID
- Chief Inspector Paul Savill - Safer Neighbourhoods West
Chief Inspector Paul Savill
- Inspector Bill Pinnell - Safer Neighbourhoods East
Inspector Bill Pinnell
- Inspector Steve Evans - Custody
- Inspector Mark Bell - Partnership / Community Safety
- Inspector Terry Clawson - Operations
- Inspector Andy Treagus - Targeted Patrol Teams
- Inspector Colin Hall - Targeted Patrol Teams
- Inspector Kate Fowles - Targeted Patrol Teams
- Inspector Jonathan Hoare - Targeted Patrol Teams
- Inspector Robert Abel - Targeted Patrol Teams
Inspector Rob Abel
- Simon Richards - Finance & Business Manager
- Jayne Beddall - Human Resources Manager
- Duncan Smith - Corporate Communications Manager
- David Gledhill - Performance Manager
For minutes of the SMT meetings see the Isle of Wight OCU Minutes page.
Local Performance Information
You can also view details of how we are performing against certain key criteria in your local area. Click here to see the details for the Isle of Wight OCU.
BBC Crimewatch Roadshow highlights community safety action on the Isle of Wight
Actions and achievements in maintaining the Isle of Wight as a safe place to live and visit were highlighted during a new series on national TV. BBC One’s Crimewatch Roadshow visited the Island as part of a week of programmes featuring the work of Hampshire Constabulary and its community safety partners.
The BBC filmed various aspects of the dedicated policing operation at the Isle of Wight Festival outside Seaclose Park in Newport. The programme focused on the nationally recognised skills and tactics used to help achieve low levels of crime and disorder amongst an extra population of more than 60,000 people. Police officers were filmed on duty in the Newport custody centre, on foot, cycle and passive drug dog search patrols in Fairlee Road outside the main arena, and working with the independent charity Cranstoun to treat people at risk from substance misuse. Crimewatch Roadshow also focused on an Isle of Wight Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) initiative to tackle inappropriate graffiti and the offenders responsible. The BBC interviewed Isle of Wight Council staff working on the local authority’s online gallery of graffiti tags, accompanied Council Environment and Neighbourhoods Officer (ENO) Linda Shorter on patrol looking for graffiti with Safer Neighbourhoods police officer PC Mick Baxter, and filmed IW Council contractors ‘Community Clean’ removing the graffiti with specialist equipment.
The programme culminated in BBC presenter Rav Wilding broadcasting live from The Needles Park.
Rav interviewed Dog Support Unit Sergeant Dave Steele about reduced crime at this year’s Isle of Wight Festival, and spoke with West Wight Safer Neighbourhoods Inspector Paul Savill and Isle of Wight Council Community Safety Services Operations Manager Simon Dennis about an appeal to solve a series of thefts from car park meters across the Island.
Inspector Paul Savill said: "The Crimewatch Roadshow programme highlighted to a national audience the results achieved by co-operation between the police, Isle of Wight Council, Cranstoun and security companies. These combined efforts are vital to maintain neighbourhoods where people are safe and feel safe. The successful tactics and techniques employed at the Isle of Wight Festival have gone from strength to strength over a number of years, and are acknowledged as examples of good practice by other police forces."
IW Council's Simon Dennis, Inspector Paul Savill and Sergeant Dave Steele
Isle of Wight Council Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods Stuart Love said: “Isle of Wight Council works very closely with its partners including the police to crack down on anti-social behaviour and reduce the fear of crime. Some people may not be fully aware of the work that goes on behind the scenes to continue to make sure the Isle of Wight remains one of the safest places in the UK. The BBC Crimewatch Roadshow sent out a reassuring message to a national audience that the council, Hampshire Constabulary and its partners are winning the battle to reduce crime and the fear of crime on the Isle of Wight.”
