North Portsmouth and Hilsea residents launch patrols to quash crime as opinions divided over police effectiveness

Andy Kircher, a Scott Road resident and owner of Safevue CCTV, has set up patrols of local volunteers to catch criminals in the act. Equipped with bodycams, high visibility jackets, stab-proof vests and radios, the residents are surveying local areas – intervening when it’s safe – and making reports to the police.

Mr Kircher told The News: ‘Crime has gone up tenfold. We want to help Portsmouth and protect our communities. I’ve lived in Portsmouth all my life. All we want in Hilsea is for our community to be supported.’

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Safevue CCTV patrols also operate in Copnor, Cosham, Stamshaw and North End.

Mr Kircher said they’ve seen drug dealing, attempted car thefts, anti-social behaviour, arson, vandalism, fly-tipping, graffitiing and other crimes since surveying areas overnight. ‘The police have acted on the reports we have given them and have made arrests,’ he added. ‘Action is being taken.’

The patrols were initially self-funded, with Mr Kircherspending £2,500 of his own money into protective gear. Ken’s Kebabs and Kassia in Drayton have both donated £300 to the cause.

Residents and Hilsea councillors have praised the volunteers. Scott Payter-Harris, Conservative, said: ‘They are using their resources to go out and help people.They are a presence and that is the key part about it. What Andy is doing off his own back is showing how much he cares for the community.’

SEE ALSO: Dispersal order set up in Hilsea

Councillor Russell Simpson, Portsmouth Independents Party, said: ‘Andy and his team go out of their way to patrol the streets of Hilsea to make residents feel a little safer. He doesn't have to do this, but chooses to as feels there isn't enough police presence.’

Rampant ASB and criminal damage reached unprecedented levels over last summer. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary issued a dispersal order covering hotspots in May.

At the time, some residents were reportedly ‘scared to go out of their homes’, with gangs roaming the streets at night and vandals damaging buildings. One high-profile incident in June saw four people arrested in Howard Road. A group driving around in a car believed to be containing weapons and threatened two people. Officers were attacked while making the arrests.

The Hilsea-hub community centre was also broken into in April. Portsmouth City Council installed CCTV cameras along Hilsea Lido and Alexandra Park to tackle crime.

Police launched Operation Relief in a bid to stamp out criminality – with views divided over its legacy. Sgt Sarah Coolahan, who covers Hilsea, Drayton, Copnor and Farlington, said they have seen a decrease in reports since its launch.

‘Feedback from residents suggests that our approach is working and that the number of incidents is decreasing,’ she added. ‘We know that this may not be the view of all residents and urge people to still keep reporting incidents to us, the more we know the better we will be able to target our resources effectively.

‘We can’t help if we don’t know about it.’ Sgt Coolahan said nearly 1.000 hours of dedicated local patrols – including the area around Hilsea Lido and the foreshore – have been conducted since April. Stop and searches and arrests relating to drug-related activity, theft and criminal damage have been made.

Cllr Payter-Harris said criminality has appeared to have ‘eased’ but not gone away. ‘Lots of different agencies are working to get to the root cause of the problem,’ he added. ‘A lot of people have been engaged. The police are a presence round here, much more than they have been.’ Cllr Simpson said crime still persists.

‘I regularly visit the Co-op in Northern Parade and staff tell me shop lifting is a daily occurrence,’ he added. ‘Car handles are tested most evenings by criminals in hoodies. In many cases residents still won't report to the police as they believe it's a waste of time.’

Cllr Simpson, a Hilsea resident for 36 years, said Operation Relief ‘hasn't had a long-lasting effect’, as petty and serious crime ‘doesn't disappear in three months’.

SEE ALSO: CCTV cameras installed in Hilsea after spate of criminal activity

‘Trust with the council and police is broken with residents of these troubled areas,’ he added.

‘Worried’ residents have asked Mr Kircher for patrols in their neighbourhoods – with some believing their problems aren’t being heard.

He believes the police are underfunded. ‘The police are responding where they can but they can’t be everywhere at once,’ he added. ‘I feel sorry for them. There are nowhere near enough officers on the beat overnight. Residents are worried. I want people to feel safe in their own home.’

Zoe Wakefield, Hampshire Police Federation chair, said an underfunded police service is causing low public confidence. ‘Demand is going up and police resources are still not where they were back in 2010,’ she added. ‘There needs to be huge investment by the government. They can’t expect to have this brilliant police service if they are not going to invest in it. If we can provide a better service to the public, rather than them phoning us and officers turning up hours later, that’s going to help restore some faith.’

Ms Wakefield praised the ‘civic mindedness’ of the volunteers, but said it was ‘sad’ that citizens felt like they had to resort to such measures.

Sgt Coolahan said: ‘We are grateful to any member of our community who volunteers their time to better life for local residents, however we would like to remind people not to put themselves in harm’s way and to remember that we are still there for them.’

Cllr Payter-Harris added: ‘We’re getting more police on the beat and it’s important. The more coppers present, the more chance criminals are going to get seen. Keep reporting. Persistence beats resistance.’

Mr Kircher said he will continue the patrols despite resistance from criminals due to public support. ‘They’re saying this is brilliant and showing a proper community spirit,’ he added.

‘Together we are stronger. If we work together, it will become stronger and the crime will go down.

‘I want to get these idiots off the streets who think they can do what they want.’