Latest news with #MarkHobrough
South Wales Argus
4 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Gwent police and crime commissioner on first year of role
I can honestly say that is has been one of the most challenging, but also most rewarding, times of my career. In the last year alone, I have made three of the biggest decisions that a police and crime commissioner is responsible for. I have appointed a new chief constable, published my Police and Crime Plan, and set Gwent Police's budget. I appointed Mark Hobrough as chief constable of Gwent Police in December 2024. The appointment followed significant public engagement and a series of interviews with panels made up of partner organisations, community members, and young people. Mark's knowledge, and dedication to the people of Gwent, came through strongly. Six months on, I remain convinced of his passion and commitment for making Gwent a safer place for our residents. At the start of this year, I formally set Gwent Police's budget for 2025 – 2026. A significant part of this is now made up directly by money received through council tax, and it is my job to set the level of the council tax precept which is paid by residents. I believe the final budget is a fair balance between affordability and the money needed to create a safer Gwent and deliver on the commitments I have made in my Police, Crime and Justice Plan. The plan was launched in March and has five priorities which are: preventing crime and antisocial behaviour, making our communities safer, protecting the vulnerable, putting victims first, and reducing reoffending. I decided to focus on these areas following months of public engagement and focus groups with residents. They also reflect the commitments I made when campaigning for election. They are underpinned by my unwavering commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion. While it has been a challenging year, I can honestly say that it has been a joy getting to know the different communities that make up Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen. I have attended community groups, local events, spoken to residents and visited many of our schools to talk to children and young people. I remain incredibly proud of the trust and confidence residents placed in me when they voted for their commissioner. I promise to continue to work hard to make a difference for our communities and make Gwent a safer place for us all. Jane Mudd is the police and crime commissioner for Gwent.
South Wales Argus
22-04-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Jane Mudd police and crime commissioner on racism
The Macpherson Inquiry into the case uncovered many failings by the police including institutional racism and corruption. It led to major changes in policing throughout the UK and from the awful tragedy of Stephen's murder came the positive catalyst for change. This is Stephen's legacy. As we mark National Stephen Lawrence Day this week, I have been considering how I can play my part in continuing this legacy and make a difference for our communities. Stephen's killers were motivated by hate. My commitment to tackle hate crime has a prominent place in my newly launched Police, Crime and Justice Plan. I want our communities to be places where everyone can live their lives as themselves, free from fear and harm. Where everyone treats each other with the values of acceptance, tolerance, and respect. When the behaviour of those who do not share these values crosses over into hate, we must take firm and appropriate action. This is one of the challenges of a growing and diverse population, and policing must rise to the challenge. I know from speaking with so many people over the last year that when residents receive an efficient, effective and above all professional service from the police, when they feel they have been treated with respect, it builds their trust and confidence in their police force. This leads to more issues being reported, more intelligence gathered and, ultimately, to more crime prevented. Everyone gets a better service as a result. We have the right to expect our police officers to act with the highest standards of behaviour, to use their powers proportionally and ethically, and to be accountable for their decision-making. Ensuring that this is a focus for Gwent Police is a priority for me during my time in office. Chief Constable Mark Hobrough has repeatedly made it clear that this is also a key priority for him and his senior leadership team, and it is my job to hold him to account to ensure this is delivered. We have come so far in the last 32 years since Stephen's death, and we must continue this momentum. We must continue to work together to call out intolerance and hatred in our communities, to build trust and confidence between our residents and the police, and to ensure that our public institutions are delivering the best possible service to the highest possible standards. This is what I have committed to during my time in office and what I aim to deliver for the people of Gwent. This is Stephen's legacy.
BBC News
27-03-2025
- BBC News
Hertfordshire Police force spent £215,018 on kennelling dogs
A police force spent more than £215,000 on kennelling seized dogs in the space of eight months last Police did not confirm how many dogs were kennelled, but it had spent more than neighbouring Bedfordshire Police, which spent £129,610 - and Cambridgeshire, which spent £159, that time, the Hertfordshire force seized 59 dogs suspected of being banned breeds, including the XL Bully. The constabulary said dogs can also be kennelled for welfare concerns and to protect the public. The information was provided following a Freedom of Information Request, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. 'Welfare concerns' The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) says it can cost up to £1,000 a month to keep a dog Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, lead for dangerous dogs at the NPCC, warned: "The demand has been and continues to be simply huge. "We are facing a number of challenges in kennel capacity, resourcing and ever-mounting costs."Veterinary bills and the cost of kennelling across policing has risen from £4m in 2018 to currently standing at more than £11m, and this is expected to rise to as much as £25m by the end of April 2025." Across the UK, police forces seized 4,586 suspected banned breed dogs between February and September 2024.A Hertfordshire Police spokesperson said: "Dogs can be kennelled by police for numerous reasons from welfare concerns through to protecting the public. "We know it can be traumatic for some owners to be parted from their pets, but our specialist dog unit ensures their welfare is maintained at all times." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Arab News
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
UK police chiefs warn of increased Islamophobia as British government defunds Tell Mama service
LONDON: Senior police officials have issued a warning that the British government's plans to cut funding for Tell Mama, the UK's leading anti-Muslim hate-monitoring service, could severely impact efforts to tackle Islamophobia. The charity, which has been entirely funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government since its establishment in 2015, faces imminent closure unless the decision is reversed, The Times reported on Thursday. Earlier this year, Tell Mama recorded the highest number of anti-Muslim hate incidents in its history. The National Police Chiefs' Council has urged the government to reconsider, stressing the charity's 'invaluable' role in providing police forces with critical data. The NPCC, which has a data-sharing agreement with Tell Mama, says the organization's work has been instrumental in preventing hate-fueled social disorder. 'This research lays bare the hostility and abuse faced by many in our Muslim communities,' said Mark Hobrough, NPCC lead for hate crime and chief constable of Gwent police. 'Our longstanding and trusted relationships with key partners like Tell Mama have been invaluable amidst these events, and I am confident that the strength of our partnerships will continue to help us reassure communities and bring hate crime offenders to justice. 'We all have a right to live our lives free from targeted abuse, and I would urge anyone who suffers anti-Muslim hate crime to report it to the police or to Tell Mama.' Experts in policing and hate crime have echoed concerns about the consequences of defunding Tell Mama. Mike Ainsworth, chair of the National Independent Advisory Group on Hate Crime for Policing and Criminal Justice, warned against downplaying the seriousness of Islamophobia in Britain. 'Tell Mama have provided the clearest picture we have of the extent of anti-Muslim hate crime and prejudice in the country,' he said. 'It's an uncomfortable picture to look at, but it is essential that we do not look away. 'The figures are stark, but they help us understand the scale of the problem and what we must do to move forward. Tell Mama have provided the foundations that government departments and the legal justice system must build on to restore trust and confidence.' Tell Mama's founder, Fiyaz Mughal, expressed frustration over what he saw as a failure by British ministers to appreciate the organization's vital role in tackling hate crime. 'Tell Mama has worked tirelessly with many police forces in the United Kingdom,' he said. 'We have met with officers from every corner of the country and met committed, dedicated, and true professionals who have tried to get victims of anti-Muslim hate access to justice. 'They are the unsung heroes with the victims themselves, and some people, including a handful of politicians, reduce our work to numbers and figures and disrespect the whole picture of the range of activities, statutory agencies, and the good men and women in law enforcement in our country that we work with on a daily basis.' Tell Mama has yet to receive £500,000 from last year's government grant. While discussions about a potential six-month extension to its funding are ongoing, there is no guarantee the charity will be able to continue its operations. Despite the widespread criticism, the government has maintained that it remains committed to tackling religious hatred. An Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: 'Religious and racial hatred has absolutely no place in our society, and we will not tolerate Islamophobia in any form. 'That's why we will tackle religiously motivated hate crime and provide a comprehensive service to monitor Anti-Muslim Hatred, so we can deliver on the government's Plan for Change mission for safer streets. 'We will soon be opening a call for grant applications to ensure we can meet the challenges communities face today and continue to provide support for victims, with further detail to be set out in due course.'
The Independent
06-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Police ‘acted reasonably' in Allison Pearson ‘hate crime' case, report finds
Essex Police 'acted reasonably' when it investigated a journalist for alleged incitement of racial hatred over a post online that has since been deleted, a report has found. Daily Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson said she was wearing her dressing gown when she was spoken to by two constables from Essex Police on Remembrance Sunday, about a year-old post on social media platform X. News of the visit sparked a backlash, including from former Conservative prime ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, who both called the incident 'appalling', and X owner Elon Musk. But an independent review by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) has concluded that decisions were made 'in good-faith and without fear or favour'. In his findings, Mark Hobrough, the NPCC's hate crime lead and chief constable of Gwent Police, said the force 'acted reasonably and in accordance with the Home Office Counting Rules to record a crime complaint.' The behaviour of the officer who spoke to Ms Pearson had been 'exemplary', his report added. 'He did not become defensive or challenging and remained calm' after the journalist 'began to challenge the officer's actions', the report, which redacts Pearson's name, said. 'She implied that a complaint would be made to the Chief Constable by the Telegraph newspaper.' The officer had already made one unsuccessful attempt to speak to the columnist before visiting her 'early on a Sunday morning', according to the report. Responding to the report on X, Ms Pearson said: 'Here are the police marking their own homework in my case which was widely viewed as utterly outrageous. 'A clear breach of my right to freedom of expression.' She did not attend a voluntary police interview and the case was closed when the Crown Prosecution Service concluded there was no realistic prospect of conviction for the offence of stirring up racial hatred under the Public Order Act or the Communications Act. Some press reporting of the incident inaccurately referred to a 'non-hate crime incident', the report added, 'despite a clear explanation' that officers were investigating an offence of potentially inciting racial hatred online. Responding to the report, a spokesperson for Essex Police said: 'In November last year we launched an investigation into an alleged offence of inciting racial hatred relating to a social media post. 'We acted appropriately and proportionately and investigated the matter which resulted in us taking no further action.' Chief Constable Mark Hobrough said: 'The reviewers concluded that the decision by Essex Police to record and investigate an allegation of the criminal offence of stirring up racial hatred was legitimate, in line with Home Office Crime Recording Rules. 'There is a high bar for prosecuting communication offences, which is substantially different than the grounds for recording and investigating an allegation. 'Therefore there are many complaints that pass the test for recording and investigation but do not reach the threshold for prosecution once investigations are complete. 'There are strongly held and competing views on hate speech and the criminal justice response to it. 'This matter demonstrates the complexity within the legal framework around hate crime and communication offences.'
