Voice of the Police and Crime Commissioner

Editor’s note: Each month, we publish a guest column from one of Medway’s elected representatives, rotating between our MPs, council and opposition leaders, and the Police and Crime Commissioner. Today, we welcome Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott, who discusses his new Police and Crime Plan and the campaign to reduce children’s exposure to smartphones and social media. It should also be noted that this column was written before the government’s announcement that it would abolish PCCs in 2028.

Voice of the Police and Crime Commissioner

by Matthew Scott

Our Annual Policing Survey is currently live, and I want to hear from the residents of Kent. Your feedback is vital in helping us understand how safe you feel, your experiences of crime and antisocial behaviour, and how any interaction with Kent Police has gone.

This survey is the best way for me to learn what is happening in different parts of our county and to assess whether enough is being done to address concerns. My goal remains clear: cut crime, support victims, and build trust. Kent Police are working hard to address areas where problems persist, but I need the input of Kent residents to measure our progress.

We currently have close to 3,000 responses, but I want to hear from as many people in Kent as possible. Over recent weeks, we have engaged with communities in person across Kent, including Maidstone, Canterbury, Ashford, Tunbridge Wells, and more. Residents can complete the survey online by visiting Annual Policing Survey 2025. The survey will remain open until the end of this month. I would like to thank everyone who takes the time to share their views.

My office has also taken over the Police Property Fund, formerly known as the Kent Police Property Fund. The fund is generated from the sale, at auction, of items seized in police operations that cannot be reclaimed. The funds generated are then used to support Registered Charities, Social Enterprise, Constituted Groups or Community Interest Companies (CICs). The aim is to keep communities safe, protect young and vulnerable people and reduce anti-social behaviour.

There are two application windows each year, being September and March. Whilst an application window has recently closed, I urge anyone who may be eligible for funding to check back again in March at the Police Property Act Fund. I look forward to awarding the first round of funding very soon!

This summer, Kent Police launched the Safer Streets Summer Initiative, a programme of enforcement and engagement designed to make our towns safer by tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG), antisocial behaviour (ASB), and retail crime.

A notable success has been Project Vigilant, where plain-clothed officers worked alongside uniformed colleagues in the night-time economy to spot and stop predatory behaviour before it escalated. This proactive approach led to multiple arrests in places like Folkestone, Maidstone, Canterbury, and Rochester.

In Rochester, the local beat officer has taken a multi-agency approach, setting up meetings with police, businesses, local security providers and Safer Streets Medway Partnership. The aim is to drive the sharing of intelligence to together make the town centres a safe environment.

Prevention is just as important as enforcement. That’s why Kent and Medway Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and Kent Police Child Centred Policing Team have collaborated to roll out an educational resource, PolEd, in schools across Kent.

Coastal towns saw increased patrols and dispersal orders issued to address street drinking and youth-related disturbances that came with sustained hot weather and increased tourism. Targeted action in Maidstone, Rochester, and Sevenoaks tackled issues such as illegal e-bikes and nuisance vehicles, while partnership work addressed rough sleeping and retail crime hotspots.

You can read the full report on the Safer Summer Streets Initiative on my website.

Matthew Scott is the Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent.