Police and Crime Commissioner's report shows wide range of work done to make Thames Valley safer

Police and Crime Commissioner's report shows wide range of work done to make Thames Valley safer

·       13% reduction in neighbourhood crime (Vehicle, theft, burglary, robbery)

·       The number of funded neighbourhood police constable posts more than doubled - from 149 in 2023 to 328 in 2025

·       General victim support was enhanced through the Victims First Hub including support to over 1,700 domestic abuse victims

·       Knife crime down by 7%

·       Road safety: Overall KSI (killed and seriously injured) incidents reduced by 18%

·       Number of repeat shoplifters targeted increased by 65% with an increased outcome rate of 19%

·       Year-on-year reduction in rural crime offences by 17%

·       £2.87 million was invested across 94 locally-led projects

·       Trust in police rose by 12% to 72%

Matthew Barber marked one year in his second term as Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner in May and has now published his annual report.

The PCC’s Police and Crime plan for 2024-2029 “Protecting Thames Valley” focuses on Protecting Communities, Protecting People, and Protecting Property.

Initiatives such as expanding prevention programmes in schools, enhancing support for victims, and increasing police visibility in both urban and rural areas have been central to this aim. The introduction of the Thames Valley Data Hub has further reinforced the OPCC’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

Matthew Barber said: “This Annual Report marks the conclusion of the first year under my second term as Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley. My focus remains steadfast in delivering my plan to Protect Communities, People and Property, ensuring that national directives are integrated effectively into the Thames Valley, safeguarding the independence of the PCC role, and maintaining a policing service that reflects the needs of our communities. As we progress into the second year of the Police and Crime Plan, I remain committed to working closely with the Chief Constable, our partners, and the public to build on our achievements, address emerging challenges, and continue our mission to make Thames Valley a safer place for all.”

Neighbourhood policing (celebrated this week across the UK) has been the cornerstone of the plan and Thames Valley saw a 13% reduction in neighbourhood crime as well as more than double the number of neighbourhood police constables from 2023 to 2025 patrolling the streets.

The PCC’s role: Scrutinise the Police, Support Victims and Protect Communities

Domestic abuse remains one of the most prevalent and high-risk crimes in Thames Valley. It accounts for a significant proportion of police demand and has a devastating impact on victims and families. The OPCC commissions domestic abuse services to support all victims through emotional and practical help. Over the past year, it supported more than 1,700 victims. In general, victims support through the Victims First Hub has been enhanced, working in partnership and through funding local projects and posts to offer a One Stop Shop for victims of many different types of crime to access specialised help (counselling, advocacy, peer to peer and legal advice). The OPCC also maintained support for 14 victims services with Ministry of Justice grant funding helping over 2,700 victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence. 

Thames Valley Police remains committed to improving the policing response to Violence Against Women and Girls. Progress in the delivery of Project Vigilant has continued to play a vital role in safeguarding women and girls across Thames Valley’s night-time economy.

Knife crime is down 7% in the period covered by the annual report. The PCC supported the wider rollout of Thames Valley’s Youth Violence Programme, designed to reduce knife crime and serious youth offending. The programme uses intervention, mentorship and community partnerships to prevent violence, support young people, and break the cycle of offending. This initiative expands on the successful Op Deter to address knife crime and serious violence. Stay True to You developed by the Violence Prevention Partnership supported parents and adults who come into contact with young people with a range of free resources and training to help young people build resilience and decision-making skills, to make good choices.

Road safety is a key public concern and an area where multi-agency collaboration is already delivering a lasting impact. The PCC published the first Thames Valley Road Safety Strategy - a shared plan to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the roads and promote safer travel across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes. Overall KSI (killed and seriously injured) incidents were reduced by 19%.

ASB and Retail Crime: Crime going up means more reporting and action

This year the OPCC also launched a new Thames Valley-wide anti-social behaviour (ASB) mediation service which it funded and is delivered by Alternatives to Conflict. The service is open to all communities across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Milton Keynes and is designed to help resolve neighbour and community disputes before they escalate into more serious or persistent ASB.

In 2024, the PCC announced his Retail Crime Strategy, leading to the improved ability of Thames Valley Police ability to identify, arrest, and prosecute offenders. There has been greater focus on prolific individuals, organised crime, and support for victims. An increase in shoplifting reports reflects rising confidence among businesses to report crime and work with police to create a hostile environment for offenders. The OPCC created the Strategic Retail Crime Forum to engage with retailers and funded the DISC app free of charge to make it easier for businesses to report and share information. 1,400 retailers have signed up, with 1,758 incidents reported to date. The number of repeat shoplifters targeted increased by 65% with an increased outcome rate of 19%. 

Tackling rural crime remains a key priority in the Police and Crime Plan and the PCC supports the Thames Valley Police’s Rural Crime Taskforce - a force-wide unit focused on disrupting theft, trespass, and organised crime targeting rural communities. Since its launch, the Taskforce has recovered over £8 million worth of stolen goods, including £4 million in 2024 alone. This includes 88 caravans, 441 motor vehicles, and 63 items of plant and machinery. Rural crime offences have decreased by 17%.

Over the course of 2024/25, scrutiny and oversight of complaints handling were strengthened across Thames Valley Police. A key development was the launch of a new Complaints and Standards Panel, made up of independent members of the public to foster greater transparency and accountability in policing.

According to the 2024/25 Maru/Blue Sentiment Survey, 72% of respondents agreed that Thames Valley Police is an organisation they can trust - up from 60% in 2023/24. 

A breakdown of commissioned activities from the Crime Prevention Fund and Partnership Fund, and from the Victims funding provided by the Ministry of Justice is available on the OPCC website through the Annual Statement of Accounts