Help us keep the lights on Support us
The Bristol Cable

Listen: Bristol Unpacked with the new sheriff in town, Chief Constable Sarah Crew on crime, protest and if the police can be an “anti-sexist and anti-racist” force

With Bristol likely to continue to be at the forefront of protest as well as other criminal justice issues, time will tell how Crew’s “citizens in uniform” interact with the rest of the city.

Listen: Bristol Unpacked with Neil Maggs

Bristol has found itself at the centre of national and even international conversations about policing, protest and criminal justice. At the top of the police chain of command is the Chief Constable for Avon and Somerset (ASP). The force covers approximately 1.7 million people across Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. 

And now there is a new sheriff in town. After a selection process led by Mark Shelford, the elected Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner, Sarah Crew was appointed Chief Constable in November 2021. 

So who is Crew and how will she handle this powerful and influential role, and deal with the diversity of policing issues in the region? 

In an interview on Bristol Unpacked, the Cable’s podcast, Crew chatted with Neil Maggs about challenges, priorities and controversies for the force – from protests, to sexual violence and the war on drugs.

Get our latest stories & essential Bristol news
sent to your inbox every Saturday morning

Keep the Lights On

Investigative journalism strengthens democracy – it’s a necessity, not a luxury.

The Cable is Bristol’s independent, investigative newsroom. Owned and steered by more than 2,600 members, we produce award-winning journalism that digs deep into what’s happening in Bristol.

We are on a mission to become sustainable – will you help us get there?

Join now

What makes us different?

Comments

Post a comment

Mark if this comment is from the author of the article

By posting a comment you agree to our Comment Policy.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related content

Racist and traumatising: inside a Section 60 suspicionless stop and search operation

Officers searched innocent children, disproportionately targeted people of colour and undermined their anti-racism reforms during a 48-hour police operation in February. Their narrative that it was an effective knife-crime deterrent, done with consent, is misleading.

‘We’ve got a fighting chance’: How Hillfields is reviving a vital community hub

After a year of hard graft, Hillfields is on the brink of reopening its community centre — and locals can’t wait. At the heart of it all is Sarah, a grassroots leader with a big vision for what shared space can be.

Listen: Bristol Unpacked – council leader Tony Dyer on a year of Green power in Bristol

Neil asks Bristol City Council leader Tony Dyer about his year at the helm in the city and the challenges of being in power, how the Green Party can widen its appeal, and the threat from Reform.

East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood: Good intentions aren’t enough

Real climate justice isn’t about green mobility zones or bike lanes—it’s about dignity, equity, and solidarity

East Bristol’s ‘liveable neighbourhood’: Is this really progress?

The Cable has been collecting data since November on how residents of east Bristol feel about the scheme and how it has impacted them so far. Hundreds of people responded to our call out, and their message is clear…

Listen: People Just Do Something – investigative journalist Sian Norris on going undercover with the many men of Reform

As a well-known left-leaning journalist, how does one turn up at a Reform rally and go undercover without being outed? This week, Sian Norris breaks that down for Isaac and Priyanka, as well as discussing the party’s rise and the far right’s wider attack on reproductive rights.

Revealed: how two Bristol men lifted the lid on their union’s failures to tackle racism

A Unison inquiry has found ‘compelling evidence’ Black members facing race discrimination have been ‘inadequately’ represented by the union and its solicitors. Two former Bath Spa University staff, who took their own claims to a tribunal, say their case shows how the system has let people down.

Join our newsletter

Get the essential stories you won’t find anywhere else

Subscribe to the Cable newsletter to get our weekly round-up direct to your inbox every Saturday

Join our newsletter

Subscribe to the Cable newsletter

Get our latest stories & essential Bristol news
sent to your inbox every Saturday morning