In this first of three conversations, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones welcomes Policing TV into her office and reflects on the journey that led her into policing oversight. From her early years as the youngest magistrate in England and Wales to leading Portsmouth City Council and then becoming PCC, she explains how those experiences shaped her belief that policing in Hampshire needed to return to the basics: visible officers, answered phones, proper investigations and victims kept informed.
Jones also shares the symbolism behind the objects in her office — from William Wilberforce to a framed Operation Overlord map room photo — before setting out the priorities she brought into office in 2021. She describes inheriting a force affected by years of reduced spending, why she pushed for more officers and a return from a functional to a geographical model, and how those early decisions shaped the direction of Hampshire Constabulary.
Key Takeaways
- Donna Jones came into the PCC role with a long criminal justice background, including 16 years as a magistrate.
- She says Hampshire policing in 2021 was struggling with fewer officers, closed stations and reduced visibility.
- Her initial priority was simple: restore the basics of policing for the public.
- She wanted more frontline officers, stronger investigations and better updates for victims.
- Officers inside the force were lobbying for a return to a geographical policing model.
- When appointing a new chief constable, she made reform of the operating model one of her red lines.
- She says Hampshire has since improved charge rates and achieved a strong PEEL inspection outcome.
- Jones is clear that the progress belongs to the workforce and not just senior leaders.
Chapters
00:00 – Welcome to Donna Jones’ office
01:27 – Why William Wilberforce greets visitors
02:25 – From magistrate to PCC
04:35 – First run at the PCC role
06:11 – Arriving in 2021: what she inherited
07:20 – Restoring the basics of policing
08:10 – The case for a geographical model
09:00 – Setting red lines for a new chief constable
09:40 – Charge rates, inspections and pride in the workforce
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