ANDOVERS rangers have been praised for the impact they have made on safety and security in the town centre.

They first began patrolling Andover town centre in September 2020 and the idea is also supported by Test Valley Borough Council.

Over the last year, the rangers have dealt with nearly 5,000 incidents, with an impressive response rate to each one, according to figures.

The statistics reveals that the Rangers have dealt with 2,611 theft or shoplifting incidents, 23 assaults, and 556 cases of antisocial behaviour, which has made a significant difference to local businesses and residents. They also responded to 57 medical emergencies, reported 51 cases of graffiti, and reported 124 instances of general intelligence.

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Jo Tierney from Sweet Ideas Andover, said: "The BID Rangers service, the two-way radio system, and DISC greatly benefit my business. The guys are proactive, they pop in regularly, and their regular uniformed presence in the town centre is reassuring. When I have a problem, they respond quickly to the radio system and can help me in many ways – they are great’’

Andover Business Improvement District (BID) has praised their exceptional work.

The role of the Ranger is to provide an approachable uniformed presence on the streets of the town centre area to support customers and businesses.

The Rangers' presence has not only helped to prevent and deter crime, but they have also built strong relationships with businesses, other agencies, and the local community. In the last year, the Rangers made 1748 visits to businesses, demonstrating their commitment to ensuring the safety and prosperity of the town centre.

Under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS), the Rangers can exercise limited powers in areas relevant to their roles.

They carry and support the recently installed state-of-the-art digital radio scheme introduced to pubs and shops by the BID last year.

The BID introduced the rangers to help to ensure visitors, shoppers and staff in the town feel safe and secure. They were also introduced to assist in reducing anti-social behaviour including street drinking and begging and increase public reassurance by providing a dedicated resource to deal with these matters.

Rangers also carry out patrols in Winchester, Basingstoke, Salisbury, and Fareham, providing what the BID describes as a “real boost” to those areas.

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Cllr Phil North, leader of TVBC, previously said: “This will be really great for businesses and shoppers and is a fantastic example of the BID and the council working together for the benefit of the town.

“Andover has huge potential but, like many town centres, it has its problem areas that prove to be a bugbear. The antisocial behaviour around Town Mills pocket park has been an ongoing issue and the police have done their best to tackle this."