The PCC

Philip Wilkinson was elected as Wiltshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner in August 2021.

He said: “After 32 years in the army, I have been working for other government departments making my country – and my community – safer. Now I want to bring my expertise back home to work alongside our police force to make Wiltshire one of the safest places to live and work.

"Attacking organised crime; both urban and rural, anti-social behaviour and speeding, alongside restorative justice, increased prosecution rates and better victim support will be my top priorities. Defeating criminality, like terrorism, requires a comprehensive strategy that is not the job of the police alone but requires a cross government joined-up approach at the regional and national levels.

I want to ensure that Wiltshire is not only one of the safest places in the UK but feels safe for those who live and work here too.

"An essential element in my approach is to increase the visibility of our police force in order to demonstrate their professionalism and thereby enhance public confidence in their ability to keep our communities safe.

"This will require working with the Home Office to ensure that our Police are able to recruit to establishment and to get their fair share of the additional 200,000 extra police officers promised by the Government – we will also try and ensure that the current imbalance in favour of urban police forces, as opposed to rural forces, such as Wiltshire’s will be rebalanced within the national police funding formula."

Leading from the front

Philip was elected in August 2021 as the new Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire.

He had served for 32 years in the army with the Royal Artillery, Commando and Parachute Brigades and Special Forces, including six years in Northern Ireland mainly with the Royal Ulster Constabulary Special Branch. To this day he believes passionately in leading from the front and looking after his people. 

For the last 20 years, Philip has developed and run a series of counter-terrorist and institutional development programs on the international frontline in countries such as Rwanda, Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and Somalia.

His comprehensive understanding, of how governments work to enhance national security and the strategic challenges this poses to the leadership of police and security services, as well as the necessity for civilian oversight and accountability, stands him in good stead for the challenges ahead.

Philip has pledged to use that experience and expertise for the benefit of communities across Wiltshire and Swindon. He has made a commitment to consult widely regarding threats and concerns, and then to focus on prevention, prosecution, punishment, restorative justice and victim support.

Philip was born in Liverpool, and raised in Newbury, but has lived Wiltshire for the last 28 years with his wife Ruth. They have two grown-up children. His hobbies include driving his Daimler Dart, salmon fishing, rugby, keeping fit and going to the village pub - but not all at the same time!

He has an MPhil from Cranfield University and is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences and a Research Associate on the International Security Program at Chatham House.