Your neighbourhood policing team
My name is Steven Benbow and I am the Neighbourhood Inspector responsible for Cheltenham.
I joined Gloucestershire Constabulary in 2006 as a Police Community Support Officer in Cheltenham. This is where my enthusiasm for Neighbourhood Policing began.
In 2013 I joined as a police officer and worked in various departments including the Investigation Team and Response Teams in Cheltenham and Gloucester, but my passion still remained in Neighbourhood Policing and I knew this is where I wanted my career to develop.
I believe that by working with our community and partners we can create a safe town for all to enjoy, especially within the day and night time economies. It is vital that your Neighbourhood Policing Team builds strong relationships and understands the concerns of the community. Creating innovative ideas and partnerships within the community is key to understanding how Neighbourhood Policing can help the wide range of communities we police.
I was born and brought up in Cheltenham and I continue to love the town I live and raise my family in. I am proud to be from Cheltenham (especially having played in goal for the Robins for a small time) and I will strive for it to be a town we are all proud to live in.
Sgt Wilkinson first joined Gloucestershire Constabulary, as a Special Constable in 2006 and a year later joined as a Police Community Support Officer. He joined as a Police Officer in 2013 based in Gloucester Response, he worked his way up through the ranks to Police Sergeant and moved to Cheltenham Neighbourhood Team in 2024. Sgt Wilkinson has a vast experience of Neighbourhood Policing from starting his career as a PCSO. He is committed to making the Town a safer place for all to enjoy the Day and Night time Economies, including deterring and dealing with Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG).
Youth Engagement Officer
Crime Prevention Officer
Crimes and priorities
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Priority:
Action taken:
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Priority:
Hotspot patrols are being completed, focussing on the Hotspot areas, where anti-social behaviour is present within the town centre. An Increase of ASB has been reported in the Brewery/McDonalds area of the Town Centre, especially on a Sunday, as well as St Marys Churchyard, which has attracted some rough sleepers
Action taken:
Regular Patrols are occurring by all of the Neighbourhood Team to deter this ASB that has seen a recent increase. .
Work continues in partnership with Cheltenham BID and the Retail Community to stop this increase of ASB. Housing providers and Support agencies are being liasised with to assist with those rough sleeping . Work continues into the Summer months. -
Priority:
Increase in ASB occurring in the evenings, at the weekends. Night Time Economy in Cheltenham is a thriving business and the local team are focussed on reducing Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) out in the Town as well as reducing ASB .
Action taken:
Each weekend ( Fri and Sat) the Neighbourhood Team have a focussed Streetsafe duty that includes High Visibility Foot Patrols, The CCTV Van and other resources, on the Night Time Economy. We work with our partners in the BID which organises a Partnership meeting ( with Guardians, Street Pastors and Security Staff) at the beginning of the shift with the Police, to keep up to date with latest intelligence. The Licensed premises who are in the scheme also are connected by a Radio straight to the Police, so we can respond in a timely manner.
OP VILIGANT is an operation that is also run, with the assistance of our Special Constables to focus on VAWG esp within the Night Time Economy. Going into the Summer months, the local team wil be working with other Police departments to monitor and patrol the NTE for the up and coming World Cup matches. Planning continues into the Summer months. -
Priority:
Target persistent Shoplifters within the Town Centre. Focus on Retail crime
Action taken:
The Local Team are working with Cheltenham BID to identify those who continue to shoplift. Injunctions are being applied for and issued by the Courts. Arrests are being made, when these injucntions are breached. Patrols continue by the local team to deter shoplifting, as well as a regular partnership meeting, to share intelligence from all agencies working to target shoplifting esp in the Town Centre.