Your dedicated neighbourhood team
I joined Leicestershire Police in 2008 and have been fortunate to work across a wide range of departments and teams helping set up several teams (Missing from Home Team, Digital Hub and Cybercrime Unit) which are now a core part of the forces service delivery.
I was fortunate enough to be a dedicated neighbourhood officer in 2010 and having spent the last 11 years in a range of Detective Roles I am thoroughly enjoying being back in a public facing uniform role where I hope that my passion and drive to work with and serve the communities of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland helps build those necessary relationships to ensure we can all work together to make this a great place to live and work for our families and communities.
Landing in East Leicester in 2024 I took on responsibility for half of the area and six months later I took on the entirety of the Community Engagement and Neighbourhood Policing for East Leicester. A steep learning curve for sure but having had great support from the local command team and the communities we serve I have learnt plenty and identified plenty more I do not know.
East Leicester has one of the most diverse demographics in the country and it brings its own set of challenges that I will continue to strive to understand and deal with appropriately without fear or favour.
I would ask that the communities of East Leicester look to the police as a part of their community and allow us to do what we need to do locking up those who cause the most harm and safeguarding those who need it.
My motto will always be that when we have to “police to our community” it means we have failed. What we should aim to do is police as part of the community.
Crimes and priorities
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Priority:
Action taken:
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Priority:
Due to the summer months and the weather getting warmer, we will see an increase in distraction thefts.
Action taken:
Prevention & Visibility
High-visibility patrols in hotspot areas (parades, shopping streets, transport hubs).
Targeted patrol times during peak hours (lunch, evenings, weekends).Engage with the public – speak to shoppers, especially vulnerable groups (elderly, tourists).
Provide crime prevention advice (keep bags zipped, avoid displaying valuables).
Intelligence & Targeting
Identify repeat locations and patterns from recent reports.
Circulate suspect descriptions, tactics, and groups within the team.Work with CCTV teams to monitor known hotspots.
Share intel with neighbouring teams where offenders travel between areas.Enforcement Activity
Use plain-clothes officers in hotspot areas to detect offenders in action.
Stop and search individuals where lawful, particularly those matching known descriptions.
Conduct proactive patrols around cashpoints, cafes, and car parks where distraction thefts occur.
Gather evidence quickly (CCTV, witnesses) to support arrests.Partnership Working
Work with shops, security staff, and businesses to increase vigilance.
Encourage premises to improve CCTV coverage and signage.
Liaise with local councils and BID teams on awareness campaigns.
Provide briefings to staff in high-risk locations (banks, supermarkets).Awareness Campaigns
Run local social media alerts highlighting current tactics.
Distribute leaflets/posters explaining distraction methods (e.g., asking for directions, spilling items).
Promote simple messages like:
“Keep it close, keep it zipped”
“Don’t leave belongings unattended”
Offender disruption
Identify known offenders and carry out targeted visits / checks.
Use Criminal Behaviour Order (CBOs) or similar where applicable.
Conduct joint operations with other policing units (CID, proactive teams).Victim Support & Follow-up
Provide reassurance patrols after incidents.
Offer tailored crime prevention advice to victims.
Ensure timely updates to maintain public confidence. -
Priority:
We have checked the systems and seen an increased report in the stated areas of ASB;
Action taken:
We have checked the systems and seen an increased report in the stated areas of ASB;
Road safety – As a team we are planning on increasing the road safety operations such as multi agency traffic operation. We also intend to involve other agencies, and we are working on this to aid education around road safety and the impacts RTC’s have on everyone involved.
High-Visibility Patrols: Regular foot and vehicle patrols in hotspot areas to deter anti-social behaviour (ASB) and street drinking.
Engagement and Education: Speak with individuals and groups to explain local by-laws and the impact of ASB on the community.
Enforcement of Legislation: Use powers under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to issue Community Protection Notices (CPNs), dispersal orders, and other relevant interventions
Partnership Working: Liaise with local councils, community safety teams, and outreach services to address underlying issues such as addiction or homelessness.
Intelligence Gathering: Record incidents, identify repeat offenders, and share information with relevant agencies for targeted interventions.
Community Reassurance: Provide updates to residents and businesses, showing visible action to reduce ASB and improve public confidence. -
Priority:
Places
-Cossington Park
-Charles Bennion Walk
-Munnings Close
-Redpath Close
-Baseball Walk
-Harrington Street
-Martin StreetAction taken:
Places to be patrolled.
-Plain Clothed patrols
-High visibility patrols
-Joint Agency patrols
-Intelligence development