The New Forest has welcomed a new District Commander, with nearly three decades of policing experience.

Chief Inspector Scott Johnson replaces Chief Inspector Nick Marsden, who has also moved on to a new role within the force.

Scott joins the New Forest from the Basingstoke and Deane district, where he had been district commander since May 2022.

Chief Inspector Johnson stepped into the world of policing 27 years ago, beginning his career in Southampton in 1997.

He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2002, a move that saw him relocate to Basingstoke and Deane to work in the district.

Chief Inspector Johnson has a broad range of operational experience, thanks to roles in Local Policing, Safeguarding, Force Incident Management, and during his time as a Tactical Firearms Commander.

In 2007, he was the Staff Officer to the then Chief Constables Paul Kernaghan and Alex Marshall.

Five years later, Scott was seconded to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary & Fire and Rescue Services, where he worked on anti-social behaviour issues and stop and search inspections.

Scott has also led the High Harm Reduction Team (now the Priority Crime Team), as well as operations in Portsmouth.

He tackled drug-related harm and improved local partnership work to help tackle violence against women and girls within the night time economy.

In November 2022, Scott received a certificate of recognition from the Basingstoke Cultural Diversity Consortium.

Chief Inspector Scott Johnson receives award from Basingstoke Cultural Diversity Consortium | Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary

In addition to his core role, Scott is an experienced member of the Hostage and Crisis Negotiator Team.

Outside of work, he likes to keep fit, is a keen car and motorbike enthusiast and is an avid traveller.

Chief Inspector Johnson said: “I’m delighted to be taking over as New Forest District Commander.

“While this is one of the most beautiful and picturesque parts of the county and country to work in, I also understand the unique policing challenges we face here, in a large rural area.

“Although only in my second week, I can already assure you all that my dedicated teams and officers will be continuing to work extremely hard to address and tackle the issues and crimes affecting you in your communities.

“Please continue to report any incidents to us, so we are aware of what is occurring in the areas in which you live.

“By communicating with us and telling us what is going on in your community, we can then allocate the expert and experienced resources at our disposal to effectively deal with offenders and bring them to justice, as well as help improve life for you, your family, friends and colleagues.

“My priorities for the New Forest are to continue in our efforts to tackle shoplifting and other acquisitive crime, catching those responsible and putting them before the courts.

“If you haven’t already completed a Let's Talk survey, please take a moment to do so. Let’s Talk is our community survey initiative that aims to understand the needs of our local communities and enables you to share any concerns with our officers.

“It’s a really important tool, which is already helping us to better understand the public’s concerns, and subsequently work with partners to effectively address the issues raised.”

Let's Talk Community Survey | Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary