Policing the New Forest - Partnership Update August 2022

                                                                        Foreword from former Ringwood and Fordingbridge Police Sergeant, Helen Mitchley. 

Welcome to the August edition of the Policing New Forest partnership newsletter.

Last month we introduced to you Rob Ford, the new Police Sergeant for both Ringwood and Fordingbridge, but now it is time to pen my farewell.

I have recently retired from the Force, but have made a ‘guest apperance’ for this month’s partnership newsletter. 

I joined Hampshire Constabulary back in 1999, going on to what I perceive to be a very rewarding career by serving in the east of the county, qualifying as a Detective in early 2004 working in the Criminal Investigation Department.

I then worked across numerous roles as a Sergeant in Response and Patrol, Custody and as part of the Prisoner Interview Team – before moving across to the Forest in 2011.

Again, I followed familiar routes and began in a Response and Patrol Sergeant role before taking up the role of leading the local Neighbourhood Policing Team at Ringwood, holding this role for over six years.

As a beat area within the New Forest, we faced some very difficult circumstances with budget cuts, a station move, a worldwide pandemic and working with very limited resources – but I, along with my fantastic, ambitious and driven team, we strived to achieve the best results that we could for the local community, whilst trying to protect them from harm.

I have since left the Force, retiring earlier this month, but I know that the communities of Ringwod and Fordingbridge will be left in the very capable hands of Rob Ford and his teams, so please, if you see them out and about, please do stop and talk to them, raise any issues or concerns you may have, as without this information, we cannot tackle what is most important to our communities.

As always, if you see anything suspicious or if you witness a crime, please seek to report it online via the Hampshire Constabulary website or by dialling 101. It goes without saying, if it is an emergency, please dial 999.

                                                                                            Former Police Sergeant Helen Mitchley, Ringwood and Fordingbridge

As a quick reminder, our New Forest Heart, Lymington and New Milton, Ringwood, Fordingbridge, Totton and Waterside Facebook pages are a great way to follow the teams and the work they are doing to tackle crime in order to keep our local community safe.

                                                                                                                                         Investigation update 

Two people arrested on suspicion of drug supply offences in Fordingbridge
 
Officers attending an address in Fordingbridge have arrested two people on drug supply offences. It comes after officers were at an address on Waverley Road yesterday (28 July) at around 3.20pm in relation to an unrelated matter. In seeking to speak with the occupants of the house, an officer witnessed a bag being placed on the top of a roof via an upstairs window – but in the process, a quantity of Class B drugs contained within a smaller bag was displaced next to the officer. A search of the property was conducted and drug-related paraphernalia – as well as mobile devices – were located and seized as a result.

A 26-year-old man from Fordingbridge was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a Class B drug.

A 54-year-old woman from Fordingbridge was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a Class B drug and permitting the use of premises for supply of a Class B drug.

They were both later released under investigation.

Please feel free to contact your local inspector with any query you may have Police Sergeant Rob Ford Fordingbridge and Ringwood     

or go direct to Chief Inspector Nick Marsden