Gosport’s Pubwatch are to receive new radios to help improve communication between town centre premises. The 50 new radios have been funded by Hampshire Police, Pubwatch, the Gosport Community Safety Partnership, Hampshire Police Authority, and Gosport Councillor Peter Chegwyn.
The new radios will help further the aims of Operation Calling Time, an operation set up to help reduce violent crime in Gosport town centre and look at longer term objectives to continue reducing crime and disorder in the town centre.
Sergeant Rob Kearley, of the town centre and Anglesey Safer Neighbourhoods Team, said: “The Gosport Pubwatch scheme has been instrumental in reducing alcohol related violent crime in partnership with the Police in Gosport.
“We have been using the radio link system for a number of years and they have served us well and have played an important part in the success we have had in reducing alcohol related crime and disorder in the town centre. However, they are now in need of updating and the new system will help improve communication between the premises, police and the CCTV control room.
“These new radios will benefit all those involved in the Pubwatch scheme and members of the community who come to Gosport for a night out.”
Councillor Peter Mason, Chair of Hampshire Police Authority’s Crime Prevention Committee, said: "The corrolation between excessive alcohol consumption and the level of anti-social behaviour in our town centres is something that deeply concerns the Authority, and so we were delighted to be able to support an initiative that helps to tackle this.
"Pubwatch schemes are something that we are familiar with, as they exist across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. When considering the Gosport application, we took into consideration the success of the scheme to date, and we congratulate them on that. With this grant from the Police Authority, and support from other organisations as well, we hope to see the level of alcohol-related violent crime fall even further."
