Nick Evans -Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire

13/08/2026

Over the last few days, I've volunteered to help (in a small way) Local authorities and emergency services deal with wildfires in their areas. As always, I'm incredibly grateful and humbled by the efforts they are taking to keep people, property, the environment and animals safe from these major incidents. It's also incredibly disruptive and destructive for local people and businesses.

As the latest heatwave peaks today, do please follow the advice of the Government and Fire Services to help prevent more areas being affected by wildfire.

🔥Do not light fires in the countryside or other open spaces, including parks, moorland and wooded areas.

🔥Only use barbecues in designated areas where they are permitted.

❄ Never leave a hot barbecue unattended. Ensure your barbecue is fully put out and make sure ashes are cold before disposing of it.

🚭Ensure smoking materials are fully stubbed out and disposed of carefully. Never throw cigarette ends from vehicles.

🚮Take all rubbish home with you, especially glass bottles, which can focus the sun’s rays and start a fire.

🚧Follow local guidance and signage, particularly during periods of heightened wildfire risk when access restrictions may be in place.

07/08/2026

This is the reality behind the drugs that usually well off people take. The users will justify that their ‘habit’ doesn’t affect anyone. They couldn’t be more wrong.
Their selfishness feeds this trade in human misery.

'Benny', who was smuggled from Albania, told Sky he felt he had to sell drugs to pay back the person who smuggled him to the UK.

16/07/2026

It was great to be able to showcase the fabulous work that is happening here in Gloucestershire to deal with and prevent Domestic abuse to the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales yesterday.

Chris Nelson and I are very proud of the proactive work that all partners in Gloucestershire are doing. Not just Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire Gloucestershire Constabulary and Gloucestershire County Council but working more broadly with our housing providers, drug and alcohol treatment services, District Councils and our fabulous providers like The Nelson Trust and GDASS

I think poor Nicole was a little briefed-out by the end of it (sorry!), but we had so much to share! Very grateful to her for spending so much of her time with the team and I yesterday and hope she found it useful.

06/07/2026

These people's impatience led to delays in care being provided to those injured in this accident. This is why the Hard Shoulder must be kept clear.

I've written to our Roads Policing Unit today to thank them for taking such a robust response to this irresponsible behaviour.

While our officers were attending a collision on the M5 and ensuring the safety of everyone involved, several drivers chose to dangerously bypass the queue by driving along the hard shoulder.

This reckless behaviour not only endangered lives but also obstructed emergency services who were working at the scene.

There had been a single vehicle collision at junction 12 of the M5 yesterday morning (Sunday 5 July) in which a motorhome sustained a tyre blow out and overturned resulting in the occupants needing medical treatment.

The motorway was brought to a complete stop on the initial attendance of police to secure the scene and clear debris from the main carriageway.

Whilst this was happening, numerous motorists decided to take it on themselves and drive along the hard shoulder for a variety of reasons - some stated that they thought the hard shoulder had been opened as a lane, some said they were just following people ahead, and others stated they wanted to leave at the next junction and decided to queue on the hard shoulder.

Unfortunately due to the irresponsible actions of all the vehicles that decided to drive onto the hard shoulder, this meant that Ambulances and Highways vehicles were delayed from getting to the scene of the collision.

The hard shoulder is reserved for emergency use only - such as breakdowns or access for emergency vehicles. When drivers misuse it, especially during an active incident, they risk colliding with stationary vehicles, emergency responders, or even pedestrians who may be on foot near the scene.

It also delays the response time of emergency services and increases the risk of secondary collisions.

20 motorists will now be prosecuted for driving on the hard shoulder and one additional motorist will also be prosecuted after they were seen to be filming the collision on their phone whilst driving past.

Acting Sergeant Mike Turnbull from the Roads Policing Unit said: "Using the hard shoulder to avoid traffic is not only selfish - it’s illegal and drivers using the hard shoulder inappropriately will be prosecuted.

"The Highway Code clearly states the hard shoulder must not be used for overtaking or avoiding congestion. Offenders can face fines, penalty points, and prosecution for the offence of driving or stopping on the hard shoulder."

06/07/2026

I'm so proud of this programme, and it's already having some great results. More to follow soon!!!

We continued our big round of 'thank yous' to the partners involved in the pioneering 'My Future' project.

This afternoon, we visited SkillZONE Life Skills Safety Centre. Several of their fantastic staff provided inputs to the young boys on the cohort. And the team kindly allowed us to use SkillZone as a central hub of activity throughout the four weeks.

We're evaluating the project currently and will share more about 'My Future' soon!

26/06/2026

A pleasure as always to visit the fantastic team at Severn Area Rescue Association - Beachley and see the ‘christening’ of Emily, the new Lifeboat launch tractor.

It was also good to see the new engines for SARA 1 ‘Jim Hewitt’ that have been paid for thanks to a donation from the Gloucestershire Local Resilience Forum.

It costs c.£250,000 a year to keep this vital service running, so these donations, alongside the time, effort and skill of the completely volunteer service are essential to keep people safe on land and water.

27/04/2026

What a fantastic write up, and for a great cause. Well done to all those who took part

22/04/2026

Matt's dedication is so moving, and the way he has honoured Katy through these challenges is humbling and a testament to them both.

Good luck in Sunday's Marathon Matt!

Her husband said it was 'dramatically unfair'

21/04/2026

Three men have been arrested in connection with a burglary at a home in a village near Cheltenham yesterday (Saturday).

A member of the public called us at around 4.30pm to report a break-in at a property in Didbrook with men seen leaving in a vehicle.

The caller was able to provide a description of the vehicle along with the registration.

Police staff in the Force Control Room soon established that the Skoda was being driven on false plates, and following further enquiries by Specialist Operations officers, a different registration plate for the vehicle was identified.

Details about the vehicle were circulated with attending officers and the National Police Air Service was contacted for support as it was understood that the vehicle was being driven into Cheltenham.

Officers located a vehicle which matched the description and there was a pursuit before three men decamped. One was arrested near to the vehicle after he was met with police dog Murphy and his handler, and two others ran into a field.

Two other men were detained following assistance from the National Police Air Service, with one found hiding in a hedge.

All three men, aged 18, 19 and 49, were arrested on suspicion of burglary and failing to stop, and remain in police custody for questioning.

The vehicle was recovered on cloned plates and forensic investigators have carried out enquiries at the home.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information or footage is asked to provide this to us online by completing the following form and quoting incident 297 of 18 April: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/cor/tell-us-about-existing-case-report/

03/04/2026

Motorcycles account for just 3% of vehicles on our roads but they account for almost one fifth of Gloucestershire’s serious and fatal crashes.

Now the weather is getting warmer there will be more motorcycles out and about on the roads.

A few extra seconds to check and double check could be the difference between life and death for you and other road users.
👀 Slow down.
👀 Check your mirrors.
👀 Look twice — especially on sharp bends, rural roads and junctions.