Eastleigh has welcomed a new District Commander, with more than two decades of policing experience.

Chief Inspector Rachel Noble replaces Chief Inspector Matt Paling, who has also moved on to a new role within the force.

Rachel stepped into the world of policing almost 22 years ago, beginning her full-time career back in 2003.

Prior to that, she had been a special constable (volunteer police officer), giving up her spare time to serve and protect our communities.

During her career to date, Rachel has held various roles within various departments throughout the force, including on the District Policing Team, Neighbourhood Policing Team and with the Criminal Investigation Department.

She has also worked as an intelligence officer, been involved in various strategic projects across the force and spent time as Force Incident Manager.

Chief Inspector Noble said: “I’m delighted to have taken over as Eastleigh District Commander and I’m very much looking forward to meeting you all on my travels in the coming weeks and months.

“Whatever the role I’ve previously held, I’ve always loved being out and about on patrol within the community, both meeting people and getting after those who are committing offences. That is something which will continue.

“Although early in my tenure, I have already seen that the officers and staff here in the Eastleigh District are working 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.”

On her focus for the area and how you can share your priorities with the local team, Chief Inspector Noble, said: “We will continue in our efforts to tackle shoplifting and other acquisitive crime, catching those responsible and putting them before the courts, the results of which we will continue to share with you all.

“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