Hampshire Marine Watch FAQ
Who is involved in Hampshire Marine Watch?
Hampshire Marine Watch is a community partnership website supported by the Hampshire Constabulary. However, it's aim is to bring together everyone to help combat marine crime across the south coast of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The Hampshire Constabulary's special Marine Unit will play a part along with Project Kraken, the Police's nationwide initiative which deals with all manner of marine crime and terrorism. The Hampshire Marine Watch web team, based on the Isle of Wight, will monitor and update the site 24hrs.
Why should I pay a subscription, shouldn't the website be free?
At this time, the website is funded on a subscription basis due to the costs of running the website. The site will be monitored 24hrs a day, throughout the year which will be of benefit to all members. Also, a unique and new system will be employed when a crime has been recently committed. The Hampshire Constabulary will have the ability through the website to contact all subscribing members instantly via SMS, meaning all associates have the ability to be notified of a potential crime, or one that has been recently committed within moments. There is an obvious cost to the system and the subscription reflects this. We also feel that becoming a member could significantly reduce your insurance costs. More on this soon.
We hope the time will come when the website will be funded by sponsorship money; we are working very hard behind the scenes on this and when that happens, subscriptions will be free.
What do I get for my money?
Currently, all new members will first and foremost have access to the newly developed "Coromorant Email System"...meaning you will have the ability to contact every single member of Hampshire Marine Watch via this website. This facility will become very useful to you over time as getting a message out quickly via email to every member does have it's benefits. You will find often that we at Hampshire Marine Watch, also the Hampshire Constabulary, Harbour Masters and Sailing Clubs will keep you up to date with the very latest news via this means.
Also, by becoming a subscribing member, you will have the ability to be contacted at a moments notice via the website when the Hampshire Constabulary decide to send out an Emergency SMS Message to your mobile phone. This will be a huge asset to crime prevention on the waters in and around Hampshire and the Isle of Wight; very handy if you're out on the water. It's early days but this system could possibly even save lives.
There will be further and future benefits to becoming a member. We are working very hard behind the scenes negotiating with Marine Insurance companies that may offer a discount on your marine insurance costs if you are a Hampshire Marine Watch member. We hope to be able to offer this to new and existing members shortly. If and when this becomes available, it will not affect your subscription cost.
Who can advertise on the Hampshire Marine Watch website?
Anyone may advertise on the Hampshire Marine Watch website, although your company or organisation must be either marine based or themed around crime prevention. Subscribers to the website will receive a free online advert if the artwork is supplied.
What is the "Cormorant Email System"?
Subscribing members who sign into the website will have the ability to use the Cormorant Email System. This new system will allow you to contact all members of Hampshire Marine Watch instantly via email.
Marinas, Harbour Masters and Sailing Clubs will find this system very handy as they will be able to inform all members instantly if a crime or suspicious activity has been reported. Local news will also come through this email system keeping us all informed with the latest information on how the website is working in your area. If you have broadband on your sailing craft or vessel, you will instantly be able to logon to the website, fill in the message box and contact all members of Hampshire Marine Watch members on the waters of the Solent in and around Hampshire. Of course, if a crime has been committed, you should still inform the Hampshire Constabulary's Marine Unit first on 0845 0454545.
In emergencies always call 999. Their email contact for non-emergencies is marine@hampshire.pnn.police.uk - If everyone needs to know of an event instantly, the Police will discern whether it will be necessary to inform everyone through the Seagull Text Alert System - details below.
What is the "Seagull Text Alert System"?
The Hampshire Constabulary will have the ability through this website to contact all subscribing members instantly via SMS Text Alert, meaning all associates have the ability to be notified of a potential crime, or one that has been recently committed, within moments. As an example, thieves who secretly steal an expensive outboard motor will not realise that potentially thousands of Hampshire Marine Watch members will know about the crime within a few minutes if reported. Time can sometimes work against us, but the quicker a crime is reported to the Police, the better the chance of the crime being solved quickly.
