Time capsule buried at Portsmouth’s new police investigation centre

HOPES for the future – along with a few jokes – have been buried in a time capsule at the city’s new police centre.
By Ben Fishwick
Published 6th Mar 2019, 09:44 BST
Updated 6th Mar 2019, 10:45 BST
A time capsule was buried at the new Police Investigation Centre in Portsmouth, on Tuesday, March 5. Pictured is: Hampshire police and crime Commissioner Michael Lane, police cadets Ben Wiltshire-Hellyer, Luisa Marthinsen, Cydney Johnson, Isabel Richardson, with Youth Commission members Faith Adams-Wright and Marcia Tanyanyiwa, and chief constable Olivia Pinkney. Picture: Sarah Standing (050319-1035)A time capsule was buried at the new Police Investigation Centre in Portsmouth, on Tuesday, March 5. Pictured is: Hampshire police and crime Commissioner Michael Lane, police cadets Ben Wiltshire-Hellyer, Luisa Marthinsen, Cydney Johnson, Isabel Richardson, with Youth Commission members Faith Adams-Wright and Marcia Tanyanyiwa, and chief constable Olivia Pinkney. Picture: Sarah Standing (050319-1035)
A time capsule was buried at the new Police Investigation Centre in Portsmouth, on Tuesday, March 5. Pictured is: Hampshire police and crime Commissioner Michael Lane, police cadets Ben Wiltshire-Hellyer, Luisa Marthinsen, Cydney Johnson, Isabel Richardson, with Youth Commission members Faith Adams-Wright and Marcia Tanyanyiwa, and chief constable Olivia Pinkney. Picture: Sarah Standing (050319-1035)

Hampshire police cadets penned letters outlining their hopes of how a police service will look in 50 years for when the capsule is opened in 2069.

Photos, a copy of The News, a police cadet beret and rank epaulettes, and a few memes, were all buried in the capsule at the £31m police investigation centre at a ceremony.

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Hampshire police and crime commissioner Michael Lane and chief constable attended, along with the cadets and members of Mr Lane’s Youth Commission.

A time capsule was buried at the new Police Investigation Centre in Portsmouth, on Tuesday, March 5. Pictured is: Hampshire police and crime Commissioner Michael Lane, police cadets Ben Wiltshire-Hellyer, Luisa Marthinsen, Cydney Johnson, Isabel Richardson, with Youth Commission members Faith Adams-Wright and Marcia Tanyanyiwa, and chief constable Olivia Pinkney. Picture: Sarah Standing (050319-1035)A time capsule was buried at the new Police Investigation Centre in Portsmouth, on Tuesday, March 5. Pictured is: Hampshire police and crime Commissioner Michael Lane, police cadets Ben Wiltshire-Hellyer, Luisa Marthinsen, Cydney Johnson, Isabel Richardson, with Youth Commission members Faith Adams-Wright and Marcia Tanyanyiwa, and chief constable Olivia Pinkney. Picture: Sarah Standing (050319-1035)
A time capsule was buried at the new Police Investigation Centre in Portsmouth, on Tuesday, March 5. Pictured is: Hampshire police and crime Commissioner Michael Lane, police cadets Ben Wiltshire-Hellyer, Luisa Marthinsen, Cydney Johnson, Isabel Richardson, with Youth Commission members Faith Adams-Wright and Marcia Tanyanyiwa, and chief constable Olivia Pinkney. Picture: Sarah Standing (050319-1035)

Cadet Ben Wiltshire-Hellyer said: ‘I put in a letter for aspiration of what I think the police are going to be like in 25 to 50 years.

‘I also put in the oath that police have to take and a little photograph of what we have in our pocket notebooks.’

The ceremony marks the near-completion of the centre, due to be home to 450 officers and staff replacing Portsmouth Central and Fratton stations.

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It has 36 cells along with office space and rooms to house specialist investigation teams.

Mr Lane said: ‘This is a really important day as part of the journey we take in order to deliver the new police investigation centre on time, on budget, and in better quality.

‘It’s about a great partnership, having modern buildings and looking to the future.

‘I really appreciate the aspirations for 25 years and 50 years into the future, which the young people here have added to the time capsule.’

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Early plans for the centre under former commissioner Simon Hayes had put in a budget of £13m but this increased to £31m.

Youth Commission member Marcia Tanyanyiwa said: ‘We've put in our Youth Commission recommendation report, which we've come up with at the end of each year.

‘It summarises our priorities and what we've done to change things.’

The investigation centre is due to open in spring. 

Nick Abbey, from contractor Mace, said: ‘I’m really proud of what the team here has achieved and I would like to thank the Youth Commission and the police cadets for helping us to do this.’