Newsletter from the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire

To Resident

2024 ends with me being able to confirm the new Chief Constable of Hertfordshire. Following a rigorous recruitment and assessment process, I am delighted to have appointed Andy Prophet, who will take up his new role on 1st January.

Mr Prophet’s experience is grounded in neighbourhood and local policing in Essex, where he started his career as a patrol constable working his way up to Deputy Chief Constable. He leads for policing nationally on tackling anti-social behaviour. I am delighted to have secured someone of his calibre to lead the fight against crime in Hertfordshire and look forward to working with him to keep the county safe.

As people across Hertfordshire look forward to some well-deserved time off over Christmas, I want to thank our emergency services, especially Hertfordshire police officers and staff, who will be working hard over the festive break.

Crime doesn’t stop at Christmas and neither will policing. From shoplifting, anti-social behaviour and burglary to domestic abuse and road incidents, people will still need the police’s help and officers will be there to respond, as well as continuing to undertake proactive work across Hertfordshire.

Both 999 and the non-emergency 101 number are available 24/7 every day of the year. Hertfordshire is a safe county, but should you be a victim of crime, the Beacon victim care team are also available to help on 03000 115555 or info@hertfordshirebeacon.org 

May I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

This newsletter is designed to keep you up to date with my work on your behalf and I hope you find it informative. Should you ever wish to contact me please email commissioner@herts-pcc.gov.uk  

Best wishes

Jonathan

Andy Prophet confirmed as new Chief Constable of Hertfordshire 

The new Chief Constable of Hertfordshire has been confirmed as Andy Prophet.

Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards has now appointed his preferred candidate to the role and he is due to start on 1st January, replacing Charlie Hall who is retiring.

Mr Prophet is the Deputy Chief Constable of Essex Police, having started his policing career there as a patrol constable. He also leads for the National Police Chief’s Council on tackling anti-social behaviour.

Mr Prophet’s selection was confirmed after a statutory meeting of the Hertfordshire Police and Crime Panel last week unanimously supported the recommendation.

Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards said:   

“I want to congratulate Mr Prophet on securing the position against the very high calibre of applicants I received for the job. I am confident the new Chief Constable is going to bring huge benefits to policing in Hertfordshire which will be welcomed by the public, as well as police officers and staff”.

For more information and a brief biography, click here 

PCC consulting with residents on policing precept

Hertfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards is consulting residents on next year’s contribution from local taxpayers towards policing in the county. 

The PCC’s priority is to maintain the local policing model and protect police officer numbers as he prepares to set the council tax policing precept. 

Following previous council tax and government investment Hertfordshire Constabulary has a record number of police officers working to keep the county safe. 

But the Commissioner is warning that the police service is facing a very challenging financial outlook as the government funding settlement announced on 17th December falls short of meeting the cost pressures that policing is facing. 

As a result, Hertfordshire Constabulary faces significant funding pressures due to increase in costs including pay increases for officers and staff, the increases to National Insurance not being fully funded, along with inflationary impacts on operating costs. 

An on-line survey is now open and will close at midnight on January 12th 2025, it can be accessed at https://bit.ly/HertsPCCprecept. 

More than 12,000 hours of additional police patrols carried out under Operation Hotspot

More than 12,000 hours of additional patrols have been carried out and 157 arrests have been made as part of an initiative to tackle anti-social behaviour and serious violence in hotspot areas across Hertfordshire.

Operation Hotspot was launched in May this year, after £1m worth of Government funding was secured following a bid by the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office.

The funding is providing extra foot patrols and increased visibility, on top of normal daily business, targeting specific areas which have been identified as crime and anti-social behaviour hotspots through an analysis of police data.

It has led to multiple arrests being made, offenders being jailed, weapons being recovered and ASB powers being utilised. In some hotspot areas, anti-social behaviour has reduced by up to 50 per cent.

Following an analysis of data, the project is running in the following areas: Bishop’s Stortford, Hertford, Hitchin, St Albans, Rickmansworth, South Oxhey, Borehamwood, Watford, Stevenage, Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Garden City and Waltham Cross.

To find out more, click here

Winner announced of Commissioner’s Christmas card competition

The winner of Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s design a Christmas card competition has been announced.

The winning entry was created by Akira Bennatraj, aged 9, from Watford and has been used as the Commissioner’s official Christmas card.

Akira submitted an image of Santa in a police car being towed by reindeer with the message ‘Merry Christmas – Helping each other at Christmas is all you need to do’.

Almost 150 entries were received with Akira’s winning a prize of Amazon vouchers. Three runner-up prizes were also awarded to pupils from Chambersbury Primary School in Hemel Hempstead, Hurst Drive Primary School in Waltham Cross and Green Lane Primary School in Hatfield.

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Accountability & Performance Meeting

The recording of December’s Accountability & Performance Meeting between the PCC and Chief Constable can be found here.

The meeting discussed the policing response to anti-social behaviour, how the Constabulary deals with calls to people in mental health crisis, and how rural crime is being tackled. 

Thank you for reading

Jonathan Ash-Edwards