Officers encourage residents to 'Get Online' at beat surgery

Officers took part in Hatfield Library’s ‘Get Online’ initiative at their most recent beat surgery.

PC James Holt-Whittall and PC Reegan Dixon spoke to residents and issued crime prevention advice on Friday (18 October).

The Welwyn Hatfield Neighbourhood Policing Team have been hosting regular beat surgeries at the library since the start of 2023. The surgeries provide an opportunity for residents to meet their local officers in a relaxed and informal setting.

Friday’s event was a unique surgery as it fell within ‘Get Online Week’, an initiative being marked at libraries across Hertfordshire.

The officers used the event to encourage residents to sign up to Herts Connected, a community messaging platform launched by the constabulary earlier this year.

PC James Holt-Whittall said: “Herts Connected is a great way to stay in touch with us and it’s simple to use. We use it to send messages to the public about local policing news and events. If you’ve not yet signed up, I encourage you to do so. You can also choose to receive messages from Neighbourhood Watch, Action Fraud and the Police and Crime Commissioner if that’s what you select when you sign up.

In addition to Herts Connected, the pair spoke to residents about staying safe from crime online.

PC Holt-Whittall added: “It’s important that residents know how to stay safe online, such as by knowing how to spot scams. We spoke about what to look out for and what to do if you think you have been scammed online.”

Join Herts Connected where you will receive free local police messages. You can also choose to receive messages from Neighbourhood Watch, Action Fraud and the Police and Crime Commissioner if that’s what you select when you sign up. 

You can use our community voice platform ‘echo’ to let us know what you think we should be prioritising in your area. Your feedback will help towards shaping our local policing priorities, initiatives and campaigns. Visit Echo and tell us your thoughts.