Hear about working for us: ‘Local Bobby’ Designated Neighbourhood Officer – Joseph
Joseph is a ‘Local Bobby’ (Designated Neighbourhood Officer) in the Totton Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT).
Tell us about your role
After turning my alarm clock off 20 times, rolling out of bed, walking into the bathroom door and poking myself in the eye with my toothbrush, I get ready for work at Totton Police Station as a Local Bobby in the Totton Neighbourhood Policing Team.
My role as Local Bobby is to be visible in the community building relations, trust and confidence in the police. This means being a friendly face that the Totton community can reach out to for support, especially if they have been a victim of crime.
A key aspect of this role, and for all our roles, is to treat everyone with respect. In my opinion, the way we present ourselves goes a long way and we can only build strong community relationships by being respectful in everything we do.
This is something I aim to champion. The bulk of being a Local Bobby involves working alongside our team of PCSOs in Totton to engage with residents on a regular basis. We do this in a variety of ways such as visiting local businesses, places of worship, schools, care homes, supporting agencies as well as conducting beat surgeries.
Our aim is to have our finger on the pulse of the community, listening to any issues they have, providing reassurance, and taking action to tackle and prevent crime.
What has been a success you are proud of?
In Totton, we have a big focus on helping nominal youths. This work includes referring them to agencies such as The Pillar, where they can get support with their mental health, grow as people and ultimately avoid any further criminal activity. As a team, we are proud of how many young people we have been able to help, and it is really satisfying to see the trajectory of their lives change for the better.
How do you juggle being a Local Bobby with your other work?
Managing my time effectively is a challenge as I still carry a policing workload – getting involved in multi-agency working, intelligence gathering, warrants, safeguarding and investigating crime. However, I am lucky to be working with a supportive team, who are always very proactive and happy to support wherever they can, even when they themselves have a busy workload.
Do you have any hobbies outside of work?
I love music, especially making music. I also love boxing, not just training, but I’m also a big fan of the sport in general. Other than that, I like to spend time around my loved ones, build memories and try to make the most of my rest days.
Can you tell us about the work you do for our BEAM support network?
I am an executive member of the Black, Ethnic and Minority (BEAM) support network and want the future of Hampshire Policing to be more diverse – reflecting the community we serve.
This is crucially important for building trust, being more aware of the diverse cultures within our communities and reducing any bias and discrimination that may exist in force. It’s about being the best police force we can be, for everyone.
As a network, we work to help colleagues from under-represented groups thrive in Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary by providing guidance and support.
My key responsibility within the network is recruitment and retention – and as part of this, I am more than happy to support anyone outside the force who wishes to join Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary as their first career choice.
If you would like more information on applying to become a police officer, please follow the link below.
Officer Recruitment – Police Constable & Detective Constable –