More about this area

The force says...

Gwent has two local policing areas aligned to five local authorities covering 1,554 km2 with a population of 577,100 (2011 census). Demographics of Gwent are varied and include rural countryside areas, urban centres and the most easterly of the south Wales valleys. The population is diverse and multi-cultural, with pockets of wealth contrasting communities with high levels of unemployment and a high percentage of people who are dependent on benefits.

The county of Gwent includes the city of Newport, which is the third largest urban centre in Wales. The city has a mainline railway, football team, retail and leisure facilities, industrial port and a university. High volumes of traffic using the M4 and large regeneration projects bring benefits and complexities.

During 2018-19, the force dealt with 183,454 incidents and recorded 58,523 crimes. The force employs 1,306 police officers, 132 PCSOs and 689 police staff supplemented by 54 members of the special constabulary, 167 volunteers and 90 cadets.

Protecting vulnerable people and tackling serious organised crime are priorities for Gwent Police. In 2018, the force implemented a new investigations framework that prioritises investigations on crimes that cause the most harm to victims. Since 2018, the force has been working closely with partners as part of the Early Action Together programme. The programme aims to transform policing and criminal justice in Wales to take an Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) informed and public health approach, which enables early intervention and root cause prevention, keeping vulnerable people out of the criminal justice system, breaking the generational cycle of crime and improving lives.

The force’s revenue budget for 2019/20 is £128m and the force has made savings of £51m since 2010.

Disclaimer: the above statement has been prepared by Gwent Police. The views and information in it are not necessarily those of HMICFRS.