Hampshire Constabulary

*Page updated 09.11.09* 

Sergeant Stewart Chandler leads the Safer Neighbourhoods team for Highfield and is supported by the following officers: 

• PC Steven Ashe                                
• PC Andrew Alderson
• PCSO Matt Manning
• PCSO Sonja Payne 

The policing pledge and your local priorities

Click here to read the national policing pledge, which sets out the service you can expect from your local police force.

Locally, we work with your community to find out what matters most where you live. We will work with you and our partner agencies to agree the main priorities for the area and how we will work together to tackle them.   

 The Safer Neighbourhoods priorities for Highfield are: 

• Street drinking and intimidating behaviour in and around Northcote Road
  
  
• Continue Operation Batcombe Patrols – educating and dealing with those students who engage in alcohol fuelled rowdy and inconsiderate behaviour as they return to their accommodation from late night licensed premises.
  
  
• Cycle safety and enforcement generally across Highfield but specifically Portswood Broadway  
  
  Date of next Community Panel meeting where the priorities are set will be 25th January 2010.
  
  These are the priorities that people in your local area have agreed with the Safer Neighbourhoods team. You can influence these priorities by contacting your team, attending a meeting or speaking to members of the team when you see them out and about. 

Action taken in relation to priorities

Dispersal Order - Burgess Road

With effect from 1st June 2009, a Section 30 dispersal order will be in place covering the Burgess Road area of Southampton. This will give police extra powers to address anti-social behaviour in the area in response to an increase in reported instances of rowdy and Inconsiderate behaviour.

Extra police patrols in the area will have the power to disperse groups of two or more people acting in an anti-social manner. The powers include arrest for persons refusing to leave the area or returning when asked to leave and the power to take under 16's home if unsupervised by a responsible adult after 9pm at night. In addition to this police will be working with other partnership agencies to offer diversionary activities to young people and will explore long term solutions to the problems encountered.The Section 30 is not a mechanisim to stop young people enjoying being together but to deal with behaviour which is intimidating to other users of the road and surrounding area. Section 30 Notice (.pdf, 2.9MB)

Update August 2009: This continues to be policed and so far there have been minimal dispersals. Work is now in hand with partner agencies to look at the long term solutions which will include meeting with local businesses.  The section 30 area may be altered to include areas where displacement of activity has occurred.

Vehicle crime

Vehicle crime remains a problem within Highfield and the neighbourhood team is working with residents to help them avoid becoming victims of crime and to give them crime prevention advice. High visibility patrols are also being put in place, and a number of targeted operations are in place to catch criminals. Smartwater is also now being offered to people in the area to protect their vehicles and property.

Highfield Safer Neighbourhood team is actively getting more involved in schools across the area, helping to build a stronger rapport with youngsters, interact with them at a younger age and give them a better understanding of the law and the work the police do. The benefits of engaging with young people in this way is felt across the community as young people have a greater understanding of the impact of their behaviour on other people. Work will continue in this area to try and reduce anti-social behavoiur.

Youth nuisance in Burgess Road was made a priority because of the negative impact it was having on the local community. Significant environmental improvements have been carried out along Burgess Road by police and Southampton City Council. A Section 30 dispersal order has also been put in place, enabling police to stop groups gathering in the area and causing intimidation. Any group returning in a 24 hour period can be arrested. Increased patrols have been put in place to monitor the area as a result of the dispersal order.

Operation Batcombe

Operation Batcombe is a police-led multi agency initiative aimed at educating students regarding anti-social behaviour, noise nuisance and criminal damage, as well as providing personal safety information. Regular patrols have taken place with particular emphasis on the Glen Eyre Road area. This has led to environmental changes, the repositioning of taxi ranks and better working relationships with university security staff and the student's union. These operations are ongoing throughout the academic year.  

Operation Handsworth

Undercover police officers from Portswood's Safer Neighbourhood's Team joined forces with colleagues from other parts of the Constabulary to carry out a successful four-day undercover operation earlier this year in Portswood, Mansbridge, Bassett and Highfield. The aim of the operation was to detect those responsible for vehicle crime in the area. 75 people were stopped and searched during the initiative and seven arrests were made, including one youth wanted in connection with a burglary.  

Cycle proficiency courses

PCSOs from Highfield Safer Neighbourhood team are now trained cycle proficiency instructors and run these courses at schools in the area. The courses have had a good take up, and children are now becoming more aware of road safety.

If your child would like to take a cycle proficiency course contact the team at Portswood Police station.

Neighbourhood Watch

Neighbourhood Watch groups are currently being set up across Highfield. Local police officers work with the community to set these groups up and advise them on security issues. If you would like to start up a neighbourhood watch group in your neighbourhood contact Portswood police station.


   

Noise

Residents in Highfield often complain about the amount of noise created by students as they return home late at night. Highfield Safer Neighbourhood team works closely with Southampton University to try and prevent this problem from recurring. Extra patrols have been put in place in the area to enforce designated non-drinking areas and targeted operations are regularly carried out to try and make students more aware of the impact they have on local residents when returning from a night out. 

How you can take action

Forthcoming beat surgeries

Beat surgeries are continuing ath the shops in Portswood Broadway - this is an ideal time to pop in and have an informal chat with members of the team. PCs and PCSOs representing Highfield, Bevois and Bannister and the St Deny's areas will be present. The Safer Neighbourhood Team will be holding beat a beat surgery at Waitrose in Portswood Road fortnightly from 11am -1pm on the following dates: TBC


The next Panel meeting at which our community priorities are set is the October 19. If you are interested in attending this meeting please contact PS Stewart Chandler at Portswood police station.

Come and tell us what is important to you in your neighbourhood, and play your part in setting local priorities.  

You could also volunteer to help the teams working in your local area and make a real difference to your neighbourhood.  Click here for more information about police support volunteers.

 How to contact us

Highfield Safer Neighbourhood team would like to hear about any concerns or issues affecting their community. If you would like to speak to someone about policing in your local area, please call 101 or email portswood.snt@hampshire.pnn.police.uk

Your local officers: (Hover your mouse over each picture to see who's who.)