SUPT SARAH JACKSON, DISTRICT COMMANDER FOR THE ISLE OF WIGHT WRITES: I’m always keen to give you an insight into what my role as district commander involves as part of this column.

Partnership working is a key element to so much of the work we undertake to help some of the most vulnerable people living on the Island.

As part of my role I have recently taken over as the chair of the Island’s domestic abuse forum. At our most recent meeting we were updated on the new domestic abuse services coming to the Island.

YOU Trust — a charity dedicated to supporting vulnerable people — will now be delivering a new, integrated service to help Islanders affected by domestic abuse.

The change will help to streamline pathways to support, deliver more effective services and improve long-term wellbeing for users. The service aims to reduce risks and support the safety of people affected by domestic abuse, to help victims of sexual crimes and to help stop abusive behaviour.

The new arrangements bring together services for victims and their families, providing a single, easy to use access point. You can find out more by calling the free phone number 0800 234 6266 during office hours or e-mailing youfirstiow@theyoutrust.org.uk

Another area we’ve been working with our partners at Isle of Wight Council’s community safety team is on anti-social behaviour.

Over the summer you will have seen our patrols and online posts about Operation Varney in Newport town centre. I’m pleased with the work the neighbourhood policing team has been doing and we have seen a multi-agency response to tackle some of the repeat offenders, both in terms of support and prosecution where appropriate.

We still need to continue to focus on this with our partners.

Around Halloween each year we receive calls from people who have been frightened by trick or treaters. I’d therefore ask parents not to let children go trick or treating on their own and only approach houses of people you know, to ensure everyone is safe and happy. Children should never play tricks on strangers and to leave straight away if nobody answers the door or a ‘No trick or treat’ poster is on display.

Download a poster from www.hampshire.police.uk/trickortreat.