SUPT SARAH JACKSON WRITES: One area where we had some excellent results in 2018, that readers may not know about, is the special constabulary on the Island.

Special constables are volunteers who work closely with and assist regular officers to help police their communities.

They have the same powers as regular police officers and wear the same uniform.

Under the excellent leadership of Special Insp Andy Pullen we have 31 active special constables on the Island.

In December, each of them volunteered for an average of 30.5 hours but the most impressive statistic is that over the whole of 2018 the special constabulary here on the Island contributed 10,669 hours of work.

Volunteers complement the day-to-day work we do, and the special constabulary plays an active role is assisting our neighbourhood policing and response and patrol teams.

Their officers made 96 arrests and assisted in 93 other arrests. They also assisted officers at 53 road collisions and accompanied colleagues to 1,095 of the 999 calls we received in 2018.

They are an essential part of the police family and I look forward to their contribution to our work again this year.

A special mention should also go to acting Special Sgt Wherry, who will be presented with Hampshire Constabulary’s Special Constable of the Year award later this month. Congratulations Jennette!

Elsewhere, late in January, officers across the Island took part in the National Crime Agency’s week of action to tackle ‘County Lines’ drug dealing.

Alongside operations at the ferry terminals, warrants, and school visits, we made four arrests.

It was an excellent result with £4,170 in cash seized along with cannabis, heroin, cocaine, and a Taser.

There have also been further media reports about anti-social behaviour in Newport’s town centre and the Neighbourhood Policing Team’s response, Operation Varney.

Early in January we issued an update that a number of teenagers had been arrested following reports including public order.

We will continue to address these problems to ensure that this trend continues.