More police officers to be based in rural Winchester communities

The officers, known as "Local Bobbies", will soon be based in areas including Winchester, Alton, Basingstoke, Hart, the New Forest, Liss and the Isle of Wight.

The expansion follows a pledge by police and crime commissioner (PCC) Donna Jones to grow the scheme from 99 to 114 officers.

Police and crime commissioner Donna Jones is expanding her Local Bobbies scheme. (Image: Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner)

Ms Jones said: "Residents in rural communities have been clear with me, they want to see their police officers and contact them easily, just like people in towns and city centres.

"The Local Bobby model works which is why I'm bringing that same visible, local presence to rural communities that have felt forgotten.

"The extra Local Bobbies will soon be in place across the countryside on the Isle of Wight and in the New Forest, and in the rural areas around Winchester, Alton, Basingstoke, Hart and Liss."

The scheme, launched by the commissioner in January 2024, was adopted nationally a year later as a standard for all police forces in England and Wales.

In two years, the model has delivered results in tackling anti-social behaviour and recurring criminal activity.

In Havant, Local Bobbies received a national award for addressing persistent anti-social behaviour in the town centre.

On Southsea seafront, the deployment of a dedicated officer led to youth outreach schemes, use of drones and dispersal orders during peak times.

The scheme was highlighted in the latest Police Effectiveness, Efficiency and Legitimacy (PEEL) assessment, which noted stronger ties between officers and local people, with Local Bobbies and more public facing stations improving everyday contact.

Former policing minister Dame Diana Johnson praised Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary as "trailblazers" in the return to visible, community-based policing.

The commissioner’s office said the scheme ensures that every community in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has a named, contactable police officer.

Ms Jones said: "I want to make sure everyone in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight knows who their Local Bobby is. Please go online and enter your postcode to find out how to get in touch with them."

The commissioner said she is determined to grow the scheme further in 2026. 

It is helping to rectify the deep cuts to policing numbers due to austerity cutbacks after 2010.