Hampshire police say "arrests will continue" despite National Police Chiefs’ Council’ prison space crisis plea

Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones is supporting Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s decision to continue to arrests suspects despite a letter from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) sent to Chief Constables last week about alleviating prison capacity. The BBC reports that the letter asks police to “consider pausing non-priority arrests”.

Chief Constable Scott Chilton has publicly commented on his force’s position today (Wednesday 22 May) stating that while he is aware of the pressure being faced within the wider criminal justice system, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary will continue to relentlessly pursue criminals and give victims the service they expect.

Chief Constable Scott Chilton said: “Relentlessly pursuing criminals and giving victims the service they expect from policing remain our core priorities. We continue to be proactive in arresting those who are suspected of committing crimes, targeting prolific offenders and people who are wanted on warrants. We are arresting more people and bringing them into our custody centres, and this remains our approach. We are aware of the pressures being faced by our partners within the wider criminal justice system, and working with them to ensure that people can continue to be brought before the courts in a timely manner. We will provide the support required, but we must keep the public safe.”

Commenting on the chief’s position, PCC Donna Jones said: “I fully support the chief’s decision that arrests will continue in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight. The job of the police is to keep the public safe – it is what we pay them to do. Police will continue to arrest suspects as usual so that those who commit crimes and cause harm to others are taken off the streets.

 “The chief and I agree continuing to make arrests in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight is the right thing to do. Keeping the public safe will remain the police’s core responsibility despite pressures from the wider criminal justice system. The overcrowding in prisons is not an issue for policing, it is for the Ministry of Justice to manage.”

The comments come following media reports that the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) wrote to chief constables in England about the activation last week of Operation Early Dawn by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service to alleviate prison capacity pressures until the introduction of an extension to the End of Custody Supervised Licence scheme to 70 days. NPCC guidance issued to chief constables stated that consideration should be given to pausing non priority arrests and planned police operations that might result in large numbers of arrests.