Safer Neighbourhood Policing

Making your neighbourhood safer

Neighbourhood policing is a system which allows the police, local partner organisations such as borough and county councils, and the public to work together to tackle problems of crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour.

The Safer Surrey Heath Partnership strongly supports the work of Surrey Police's safer neighbourhood teams. Neighbourhood Specialist Officers (NSOs) and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) are at the heart of these teams, working hard to provide reassurance to residents and business people and listening to their concerns.

Surrey Heath is split into 10 defined neighbourhoods: Mytchett and Deepcut; Frimley and Frimley Green; Old Dean; St Michaels and Watchetts; Heatherside and Parkside; Camberley Town; Lightwater and West End; Bagshot and Windlesham; St Pauls; and Chobham and Bisley. Each area is covered by a safer neighbourhood team, made up of a combination of dedicated beat officers, NSOs and PCSOs.

Neighbourhood Specialist Officers (NSO)

NSOs are police constables with responsibility for a specific area or neighbourhood, backed by a neighbourhood support team. They are dedicated to their particular area and not removed for any other duties. This enables the officer to forge close links with the residents and traders in their neighbourhood and with partner agencies.

The knowledge that the officer develops from their work not only enables them to target local offenders and bring them to justice, but to deal with important quality of life issues that affect everybody in the community, from low level incivility to anti-social behaviour and disorder. These issues can be identified and agreed as neighbourhood priority issues and tackled together. NSOs work with PCSOs and should be visible and accessible, allowing residents and traders to have a say in the policing of their neighbourhood. Surrey Heath currently has 11 NSOs.

Police Community Support Officers (PCSO)

PCSOs are uniformed members of the police team who provide a high-visibility presence and are designated with a range of powers, including issuing fixed penalty notices. PCSOs spend much of their time patrolling their neighbourhoods. There are currently 13 PCSOs in Surrey Heath, funded jointly by the government, the Police Authority, local authorities and parish councils.

PCSOs play a vital role by complementing the work of police officers, providing a highly visible, accessible, familiar, knowledgeable and accountable patrolling presence within neighbourhoods at appropriate times. They contribute to community safety by tackling quality of life issues such as anti-social and nuisance behaviour, alcohol abuse, anti-social driving and dealing with abandoned or unlicensed cars. Whilst not having the powers of a police officer, PCSOs do have a variety of powers which help them to make the community safer.

Right Up Your Street

Surrey Police has created a dedicated website at www.rightupyourstreet.info Opens in a new window to raise awareness of its 106 safer neighbourhood teams. The site provide lots of useful information and links, promoting the fact that everyone in the county has a dedicated team of officers working together with partner organisations to address local concerns.

It's good to talk

Each safer neighbourhood team works towards tackling the problems and issues that exist in their areas. They hold regular panel meetings and surgeries when those who live and work in the area can come along, meet their local officers and voice their concerns. The officers also have their own web pages which contain all their contact details.

• View more information about your safer neighbourhood team Opens in a new window