Chief Constable fortnightly update to the Police and Crime Commissioner - 19 June 2026

Dear Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson,

Following the tragic murder of Henry Nowak in Southampton and the ensuing public debates on legitimacy within policing, I wanted to share what we are doing here in Wiltshire.

It is important for me to start by saying that the thoughts of all my officers, staff and volunteers remain with Henry’s loved ones.

I fully recognise the immediate strength of feeling this case has generated both locally and nationally and that communities are not only reacting to this individual case, but to broader concerns about fairness, safety, and legitimacy in policing. 

Policing exists to serve everyone, and our primary duty is to keep people safe by upholding the law fairly - earning the trust of the public through our actions.

At all times, we must act impartially and without fear or favour, ensuring that no one receives better or worse treatment because of race, religion, background, politics or status.

The public rightly expect us to focus on crime, victims and public safety. However, you cannot separate fairness and police effectiveness. If people do not trust the police, they are less likely to report crime, support investigations or give evidence. 

As Chief Constable, I have focussed on improving the relationship between Wiltshire Police officers, staff and volunteers and all our communities. It is essential that the public consider our actions to be legitimate for us to be able to deliver the best possible policing service.

Here in Wiltshire, I have also commissioned a review of our local policies which are linked to impartiality in the context of the ongoing national situation and how we police locally. 

This is part of our ongoing commitment under His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) Inspection into Activism and Impartiality in Policing, which was published in 2024, to ensure we regularly review our policies and procedures – particularly in light of any community concerns. 

Our Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs) are central to this and continue to work closely with our communities to respond directly to their concerns and provide appropriate support and reassurance.

This has been highlighted over the last week as we marked the national Neighbourhood Policing Week of Action.

Throughout the week, our NPT colleagues have been undertaking a range of operational activities in addition to increasing their presence within our communities and making best use of our mobile police stations. This has ensured an enhanced police presence in our more isolated and rural communities, providing an opportunity for those communities to engage directly with our officers. 

As always, our NPTs are here to listen, provide reassurance and to act robustly on any intelligence that is provided to them from the people we serve. 

In addition to carrying out a range of important and positive community engagement activities, the week has showcased the extent to which neighbourhood policing has evolved in recent years.

Working closely with partnership organisations, our neighbourhood teams have been front and centre in activities which have targeted anti-social behaviour, prolific offenders, retail crime, human trafficking and modern slavery, immigration offences as well as licensing infringements and organised crime in our communities.

A round-up of the activity undertaken by our NPTs this week, open letters from our local policing Chief Inspectors and more information on the role of our neighbourhood teams can be found here. 

I also dedicated this open letter to you in April to illustrating the incredible work of our NPT colleagues.

The range of proactive activity undertaken reflects the enhanced ability of our neighbourhood teams to address the underlying causes of repeat demand and local issues, improving outcomes for communities and supporting long term crime prevention.

In the last few years, there has been a positive shift in the focus placed on neighbourhood policing at a national level, with a greater recognition of its function set out in the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee and backed by a £363 million ringfenced grant.

The national uplift, supported by your implementation of the maximum permitted increase in the local police council precept, has seen a significant increase in the number of NPT posts here in Wiltshire.

As a result, I’m pleased to say that we have been able to increase the number of neighbourhood police officers by 24 (to 123) in the last year and increased the number of our Special Constabulary in neighbourhood roles by 33 (to 110).

I firmly believe that neighbourhood policing is the bedrock of our organisation. 

Our neighbourhood officers, staff and volunteers play a key role in delivering my operational priorities of creating safer public spaces, reducing and prevent Violence Against Women and Girls and improving outcomes for victims.

I am sure you will join me in recognising the professionalism, dedication and focus of these teams, and the vital work they do to address the issues impacting upon the communities they serve.

A key element in fostering closer relationships with the public is ensuring our teams are located in the best locations with the right capabilities to respond to our communities in the most effective way.

In support of this, earlier this month your office announced the next phase of the Southern Policing Hub at Old Sarum.

Land off Mitre Way, near Salisbury, was secured in December and your office is now moving toward an outline planning permission submission.

This is a major milestone and a long-term investment in policing for south Wiltshire and the wider Force. 

The new hub will be the main base for neighbourhood, response and other frontline teams. It will give officers and staff the space and facilities they need to work more effectively, helping to improve visibility, response and day-to-day policing across Salisbury and the surrounding area.

It is essential that our communities have the opportunity to share their thoughts about these plans and I know you are very keen to hear from as many people as possible.

A series of public engagement events will take place over the next week where residents will be able to view illustrative ideas about the site, ask questions and provide feedback ahead of the outline planning submission this summer.  

Chief Superintendent Doug Downing will be attending these events on behalf of Wiltshire Police.

These sessions will be held at Salisbury Football Club, Raymond McEnhill Stadium, Partridge Way, Salisbury, England, SP4 6PU on the following dates:

I would encourage our communities to attend these events, learn more about the plans and ask any questions they have.

Detailed information on the plans, community engagement and FAQs can be found on your website here.

Kindest regards to you,

Catherine Roper

Chief Constable, Wiltshire Police