Recent violent crime raises alarm in Portsmouth despite encouraging stats

Politicians have raised their concerns over violent crime in Portsmouth, following two recent stabbing incidents that left a 53-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy hospitalised.

These violent events, coupled with a recent incident in which a secondary school student brought a knife onto school premises, have raised concerns among local residents.

Violent crime statistics in Portsmouth

Violence and sexual offences remain the most common crimes in Portsmouth. In 2023, there were 11,296 recorded cases, yielding a crime rate of 52 per 1,000 people. This represents a 12 per cent decrease from the 12,874 cases in 2022 and a drop from the previous year’s rate of 59.

During the 12 months leading to September 2024, Hampshire Police recorded 11,075 violent and sexual offences, with a rate of 51 crimes per 1,000 people. Despite these figures, Portsmouth's crime rate remains notably higher than both the South East and the national averages for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with a 38 per cent higher rate compared to the South East and 36 per cent higher than the national figure. However, crime rates have decreased by 10 per cent overall, and violent offences fell by 5.2 per cent between 2023 and 2024.

Calls for action from local campaigner

Local campaigner Jacob Short, a member of the Portsmouth Independent Party, has written an open letter urging local leaders to take action. In the letter, he questions the government’s plans to improve local policing and seeks clarification on what powers and funding a new strategic authority mayor could access under the government’s devolution agenda.

Short has also addressed Donna Jones, the police and crime commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, asking whether additional police presence or resources could be allocated to address the recent concerns.

Donna Jones responds to growing concerns

Donna Jones expressed her concern about the recent incidents, particularly those involving violence in the streets and schools. She emphasised the significance of increasing police numbers, stating, “As the second largest urban area in Hampshire, Portsmouth benefits from one of the largest increases in police officer numbers over the last four years.”

She also highlighted the funding for additional officers, saying, “In January’s budget announcement I committed to funding an extra 90 police officers for Hampshire and Isle of Wight,” bringing the total number of officers in the region to its highest level in over a decade. Furthermore, Jones pointed to her Local Bobby scheme, which provides residents with access to named officers: “Portsmouth residents have 15 police officers that are named and contactable via the Constabulary website.”

Jones acknowledged the overall reduction in crime, however, she expressed concerns about the involvement of young people in serious violence and knife crime, stressing that “policing cannot solve the issue alone.” She reiterated the importance of addressing the root causes of violence and focusing on education and prevention, concluding, “This is the top priority in my Police and Crime Plan 2024-28, More Police, Safer Streets 2.”

MPs respond to violent crime alarm

Stephen Morgan MP

Stephen Morgan, Labour MP for Portsmouth South, expressed his concern over the recent rise in violent crime but reassured residents that “the number of incidents overall has been coming down.” He noted, “The government has made it its mission to halve knife crime in a decade” and promised to continue working closely with local police to ensure that violent crime continues to decline.

Morgan also highlighted a £1.1bn funding boost for police, including £50m allocated to violence reduction units aimed at tackling knife crime. For the 2025-26 period, Hampshire Police will receive up to £492.4m, an increase of up to £30.5m compared to the 2024-25 funding settlement.

Amanda Martin MP

Amanda Martin MP also welcomed measures in the Crime and Policing Bill, especially the government's focus on combatting the online purchase of knives. She pointed out the government’s commitment to halving knife crime in a decade and referred to a 7% reduction in knife crime in Hampshire, according to last year’s ONS data.

Martin highlighted the Young Futures programme, which will create hubs offering young people a safe space and access to services. “Young Futures hubs will be set up offering young people a safe place to go where they can be diverted into positive activities and access the services they need,” she explained. Martin also praised local police efforts, stating, “I was out on patrol with them to see firsthand the work they are doing to tackle specific crime hotspots,” and affirmed her commitment, saying, “As a local MP alongside this government, I’m committed to giving them the resources and powers they need to deliver on our mission.”

Government's commitment to Safer Streets

A spokesperson for the Home Office responded to inquiries from the Local Democracy Reporting Service about how local government devolution could enhance police powers and funding. The statement read, “We are delivering on our Safer Streets Mission, with an extra 13,000 neighbourhood police officers, community support officers and special constables, all of whom will play a vital role in bringing visible policing to our streets.”

The government also referenced the Devolution White Paper, which proposes that more mayors could be given police and crime commissioner (PCC) powers to integrate public safety functions, adding, “We will provide more information in due course.”