Running from catcallers! LBC joins undercover female police officers in crackdown on people harassing women joggers
Plain-clothed officers in running kit are hitting harassment hotspots.
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LBC has been granted exclusive access to a new police operation in Surrey designed in response to a surge of reports of women being followed, approached, catcalled or harassed while out running.
The tactic is simple: female officers in running gear jog through known hotspots, while nearby specialist police units wait to intervene the moment any abuse takes place.
It’s already producing results. Last month 18 arrests were made by the force in operations designed to tackle violence against women and girls - including during the jogging patrols.
LBC joined officers on patrol during the evening rush hour in Reigate, where the scale of the problem became apparent almost immediately.
Two undercover officers were targeted within minutes — a man in a large truck honked and made gestures out the window as he passed them.
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'Huge impact'
Violence Against Women and Girls Safer Spaces lead for Surrey Inspector Jon Vale who runs the operation, said it’s far too common.
“One of our officers was honked at within ten minutes — then another vehicle slowed down, beeping and making gestures just 30 seconds later - that’s how frequent it is.
“Someone slowing down, staring, shouting - even if it’s not always criminal - it can have a huge impact on people’s everyday lives and stops women from doing something as simple as going for a run.
“We have to ask: is that person going to escalate? Are they a sexual offender? We want to manage that risk early.
“This is about protecting women and girls in public spaces and we want them to know we’re out here, and we’re taking it seriously.”
He told LBC the operation is acting as a deterrent and a method of early intervention.
“You don’t know if the woman you’re harassing is a police officer - and that’s the point and we want people to think twice before acting like this.”
PC Abby Hayward, one of the undercover officers involved, told LBC that the abuse she experiences on patrol reflects what many women face daily.
“We get catcalled. We get honked at. People slow down just to stare - or lean out the window to shout something. It’s so common, but it’s harassment and it needs to be recognised as that.”
She said the operation has already made an impact, either by catching offenders or educating those who don’t realise the harm they’re causing.
“This behaviour is either a precursor to something more serious - or it’s ignorance, and it’s fixable. That’s where our interventions come in: to stop potential repeat offenders or help people understand that what they’re doing isn’t OK.
“The rise in violence against women and girls is real - we’re talking about women being spat at, stalked, harassed while they’re just out on a run - it’s just horrendous.”
LBC witnessed two men driving a van stopped by officers after harassing a female runner - eventually apologising at the scene.
“They said sorry to us and it meant a lot as it shows this operation is working - we’re out here making change happen.”
While not every patrol leads to an arrest, officers are taking action every time - from giving warnings to formal conversations.
Surrey Police say the wider aim is to prevent escalation, challenge unacceptable behaviour, and show the public that street harassment, particularly towards women, will no longer be tolerated.
The force is also urging the public to report unsafe areas using the ‘StreetSafe’ tool, which allows people to flag locations anonymously.
For officers like PC Hayward, the issue is both professional and personal.
“I’m proud to be part of this. It’s long overdue - and it’s making a difference.”
