Matthew Barber, Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, alongside the Chief Constable, attended a visit from the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, at Sulhamstead on Thursday (28/10).

Home Secretary, Priti Patel paid a visit to Thames Valley Police’s training centre, to celebrate a record uptake in the force’s female, black, Asian and minority ethnic recruits over the last 12 months.

Thames Valley Police has been leading the way in protecting women from predatory men in the night time economy. Project Vigilant began prior to the pandemic and with the re-opening of the night-time economy in July the operation has been expanded and is now operating in Oxford, Reading, Milton Keynes and Windsor.

Over the next six months Thames Valley Police will be targeting hotspots across the force area to tackle knife crime and serious violence, with neighbourhood officers supported by additional specialist officers.

The force is also the first in the country to trial a new mobile phone app to target the patrolling of specialist officers to identified violence hotspots.

New mobile CCTV cameras will be installed and switched on in Oxford today (12/10) as part of Safer Streets funding.

Following the success of a pilot scheme earlier this year, a Community Speedwatch scheme has launched across Thames Valley this week. The pilot, which ran in small areas of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, was so successful the whole of Thames Valley can now take part with the hope of reducing speeding in our communities.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley has secured nearly a million pounds to make streets safer and to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG).

The Government has announced £23.5m for police and local authorities to make streets safer, and the Thames Valley has been successful in two bids to claim a portion of the pot.