Sergeant Kevin Leckey is no stranger to Thornhill. Born in Sholing, he moved here when he was just three and stayed for the next 22 years. He is the officer heading Thornhill’s expanded community Police team which has been funded through the Thornhill Plus You regeneration programme.

The regeneration money will help tackle crime and anti-social behaviour which Sergeant Leckey believes is “an important issue here and through the regeneration money we have the opportunity to make a marked improvement in tackling the problems that do exist.”

The nine-strong team which includes a sergeant, seven beat officers and an administrative support worker are providing the neighbourhood with an intensive, dedicated policing service unique in Hampshire. Their aim is to tackle the issue of crime and antisocial behaviour.

The expanded team’s new police office was formally opened by Local MP John Denham in March 2004. Since its opening the Thornhill Community has benefitted from the community police office that is unique within Hampshire. The office provides the facility for local Thornhill people to report all issues/concerns that would otherwise mean a journey to Bitterne police station. The office is open to the public from Mon-Fri between the hours of 9am-5pm.

He also believes that one of their main objectives is listening to “local residents and responding to their needs in order to help reduce criminal and anti-social activity so people feel safer here.” Thornhill is the only police office in Hampshire with a team of dedicated officers. Kevin does emphasise that this “doesn’t mean that Thornhill is any worse an area in terms of criminal activity and anti-social problems than anywhere else, despite what some people may like to believe.”

The dedicated Police team currently comprises Sgt Leckey, 7 Constables and an administrative officer who has responsibility for the Community Police office. They are PC Dale Douglas - the longest serving team member for Thornhill, PC Dave Jackson, PC Derek Hearn, PC Kate Frend, PC Rob Munro, PC Mark Brown and PC Wendy Smith. Debbie Harris is our enquiry officer at the Police office. All of the team are working for the Thornhill community striving to make Thornhill a safer place to live.

There have been a number of early successes thanks to the team’s ability to deal quickly and efficiently with anti-social activity, most notably in Hinkler Parade. Arrests have been made by the team, resulting in criminal charges and successful prosecutions. They were made possible because of “on the spot” presence of the dedicated team and through the successful use of CCTV surveillance in Hinkler Parade. This is another key initiative funded through the Thornhill Plus You programme. Following on from the successes at Hinkler Parade, police attention has been focused upon the shop parade at Warburton Road to deal with a rise in similar anti-social behaviour. A dispersal authority took effect from 24th January 2006 and the police team will be continuing a zero tolerance attitude to tackling complaints of this nature.

Kevin believes that Thornhill is “fortunate to have extra policing resources to tackle the problems and needs highlighted by the community. We need local people to work with us and report incidents that we can deal with. It’s a partnership. It is a partnership and we know that we rely upon the help and support of the community in Thornhill to meet your needs. Helping us is to help you.

Thornhill Community Police Office

Tatwin Crescent

Thornhill

Tel: D/D 02380 744628

In Emergency tel: 999 or 0845 045 4545 to speak to the police control room.